• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2213-2218
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• 2012

Introduction: Worldwide, breast cancer is the commonest cause of cancer death in women. However, the survival rate varies across regions at averages of 73%and 57% in the developed and developing countries, respectively. Objective: This study aimed to determine the survival rate of breast cancer among the women of Malaysia and characteristics of the survivors. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on secondary data obtained from the Breast Cancer Registry and medical records of breast cancer patients admitted to Hospital Kuala Lumpur from 2005 to 2009. Survival data were validated with National Birth and Death Registry. Statistical analysis applied logistic regression, the Cox proportional hazard model, the Kaplan-Meier method and log rank test. Results: A total of 868 women were diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2005 and December 2009, comprising 58%, 25% and 17% Malays, Chinese and Indians, respectively. The overall survival rate was 43.5% (CI 0.573-0.597), with Chinese, Indians and Malays having 5 year survival rates of 48.2% (CI 0.444-0.520), 47.2% (CI 0.432-0.512) and 39.7% (CI 0.373-0.421), respectively (p<0.05). The survival rate was lower as the stages increased, with the late stages were mostly seen among the Malays (46%), followed by Chinese (36%) and Indians (34%). Size of tumor>3.0cm; lymph node involvement, ERPR, and HER 2 status, delayed presentation and involvement of both breasts were among other factors that were associated with poor survival. Conclusions: The overall survival rate of Malaysian women with breast cancer was lower than the western figures with Malays having the lowest because they presented at late stage, after a long duration of symptoms, had larger tumor size, and had more lymph nodes affected. There is an urgent need to conduct studies on why there is delay in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer women in Malaysia.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.111-122
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• 2020

Purpose: In order to manage the steep slopes effectively, this study diagnose problems in the procedure of steep slopes management and propose Improved frame work is intended to mitigate human and property damage Method: Problems in the system are drawn through review of procedures for designation of collapse risk zones and fied investigation, interviews with local governments, and expert advice. Result: The selection stage, the subject of the management, the management method, and the factors that need to be improved by the management stage before the evaluation are derived. Conclusion: This paper identified the problems raised and drew improvements and presented the research direction for the development of the new system (plan) and the steep slope site.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2012

This study was performed to survey the school supplies such as pencil, eraser, notebook and color paper. Twenty-two kinds of samples were collected near the school zone, and eight kinds of phthalate which is one of the environmental hazard factors analyzed to estimate the contents characteristics of products. As the results of these research, three kinds of phthalates (BBP, DNOP and DIDP) were not detected in the selected samples. In the A group, DEHP and DINP were detected in the rage of 22%~28%, and DINP was selected 28%, 24% and 28% in the A-1, A-3 and A-4 samples, respectively. But the selected samples in the B group were detected less than 1,000 ppm as regulated level. Also, The DBP was detected 1% in the C-2 sample, and DEHP was detected 0.3% in the C-1 and C-6 samples. The DEHA was detected 0.3% in the D-3 sample. In this study, the DINP was mainly detected the eraser, therefore this kind of phthalate can be exposed through dermal exposure.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2019

Purpose: The effectiveness of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients is increasingly reported, but there is no definite consensus on its application. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with better outcomes of TRT among patients with ES-SCLC, focusing on whether a higher TRT dose could improve treatment outcome. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 85 patients with ES-SCLC who received TRT between January 2008 and June 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Eligibility criteria were a biological effective dose with α/β = 10 (BED) higher than 30 Gy₁₀ and completion of planned radiotherapy. Results: During a median follow-up of 5.3 months, 68 patients (80.0%) experienced disease progression. In univariate analysis, a BED >50 Gy₁₀ was a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (OS; 40.8% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.006), progression-free survival (PFS; 15.9% vs. 9.6%, p = 0.004), and intrathoracic PFS (IT-PFS; 39.3% vs. 20.5%, p = 0.004) at 1 year. In multivariate analysis, a BED >50 Gy₁₀ remained a significant prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.502; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.287-0.876; p = 0.015), PFS (HR = 0.453; 95% CI, 0.265-0.773; p = 0.004), and IT-PFS (HR = 0.331; 95% CI, 0.171-0.641; p = 0.001). Response to the last chemotherapy was also associated with better OS in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusion: A TRT dose of BED >50 Gy₁₀ may be beneficial for patients with ES-SCLC. Further studies are needed to select patients who will most benefit from high-dose TRT.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 1999

The effect of storage temperature and time on the contents of metal (Pb, Sn and Fe), vitamin C, color and pH was studied for canned pineapple juice (PJ) and pineapple slice (PS) which were stored for 120 hours at 5 and 2$0^{\circ}C$ and analyzed at 24 hours intervals. The results are as follows; 1. The metal contents of PJ and PS were in the rank of 24<48<72<96<120 hours by storage time at 5 and 2$0^{\circ}C$. These contents were increased to 44.1%/24 hrs of Ph, 18.0%/24 hrs of Sn, 34.6%/24 hrs of Fe but decreased to 6.0%/24 hrs of vitamin C in PJ and PS during 120 hrs. Storage times were correlation to contents of metal and pH but was not correlation to vitamin C contents. These were increased to 37.7%/24 hrs of Pb, 18.8%/24 hrs of Sn, 34.6%/24 hrs of Fe, but decreased to 6.0%/24 hrs of vitamin C. 2. These were increased to 10.6% of Pb, 3.7% of Sn, 11.3% of Fe in PJ and to 33.7% of Pb, 4.8% of Sn, 37.6% of Fe in PS at 2$0^{\circ}C$ than 5$^{\circ}C$ but vitamin C contents were decreased to 8.2% in PJ and 2.7% in PS at 2$0^{\circ}C$ than 5$^{\circ}C$. This fact suggests that more attention be paid in handling canned PJ and PS after opening in order to avoid the decreasing vitamin C and the hazard from Pb, Sn, Fe. 3. Changing factors in Pb, Sn, Fe and vatiamin C content were in the rank of storage temperature$0^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.447-459
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• 2004

Fortified foods are consumed widely in modem society according to increased concern on health oriented foods. This study investigated the patterns of vitamin-and/or mineral-fortified food use among 677 teenage students(13-18 years of age) in Chungnam province and Daejeon city in Korea using questionnaire. More than 63.7% of total subjects consumed more than one package of fortified foods belonged to more than three categories of five categories including sweets/biscuits, ramyons, beverages, milk and dairy products, and breads as a frequency of more than 1-2 times/week during previous three months prior to present survey. Consumption of fortified foods was higher in middle school students than in high school students(p<0.05), and in females than in females(p<0.001). Users of fortified foods took the snacks more often(p<0.001), and they tended to believe more positively that fortification can be helpful in health maintenance than did non-users. Users preferred vitamin C and Ca(calcium) as a fortified nutrient. Major fortified nutrients in fortified foods taken by users were various; vitamin B-complex and Ca from sweets/biscuits, Ca from ramyons, vitamin C and Ca from beverages, Ca and iron from milk and dairy products and breads. These results suggest that fortified foods are used commonly and are influenced by several factors among teenagers. Types of fortified nutrient, in fortified foods taken by subjects, are various and fortification is performed unspecifically. As a consequence both nutrition education and government regulation on fortified foods should be enforced to maximize the benefits and minimize the hazard of their use.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.25-28
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aimed to describe recent patterns in the types of statistical test used in original articles that were published in Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six original articles published in the Journal in 2015 and 2016 were ascertained. The type of statistical test was identified by one researcher. Descriptive statistics, such as frequency, rank, and proportion, were calculated. Graphical statistics, such as a histogram, were constructed to reveal the overall utilization pattern of statistical test types. Results: Twenty-two types of statistical test were used. Statistical test type was not reported in four original articles and classified as unclear in 5%. The four most frequently used statistical tests constituted 47% of the total tests and these were the chi-square test, Student's t-test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney test in descending order. Regression models, such as the Cox proportional hazard model and multiple logistic regression to adjust for potential confounding variables, were used in only 6% of the studies. Normality tests, including the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Levene test, Shapiro-Wilk test, and $Scheff{\acute{e}}^{\prime}s$ test, were used diversely but in only 10% of the studies. Conclusion: A total of 22 statistical tests were identified, with four tests occupying almost half of the results. Adoption of a nonparametric test is recommended when the status of normality is vague. Adjustment for confounding variables should be pursued using a multiple regression model when the number of potential confounding variables is numerous.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2020

The adjudication of Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal (KMST) was analyzed to collect basic data to identify the cause of the risk that did not appear in the current data provided by the fishermen's occupational accidents of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative (NFFC) in stow net fishing vessel from 2015 to 2019. The personnel's carelessness was the most common in 29 out of 33 accidents (87.9%), followed by 25 cases (75.8%) of inadequacy of instructions, 24 cases (72.7%) of inadequacy of education on hazard factor, 20 cases (60.6%) of no personal protection equipment, 18 cases (54.5%) of poor guard, 17 cases (51.5%) of inadequacy of work method, 16 cases (48.5%) of absence of emergency stop button, 14 cases (42.4%) of work practice of poor safety precautions that affected more than 40% of all accidents as accident causes. These causes had a strong influence on each other, and the ratio of accident causes is high. With this relationship, accidents can be prevented or the severity of human injury can be reduced if types of accident process can be estimated with a scenario, and the key points before the accident in the scenario are switched to safe points.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2020

Purpose: D-dimer levels are known to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with various cancers, but their significance at the end of life remains unclear. This study investigated D-dimer levels as a prognostic indicator for terminal cancer patients in the last hours of life. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at a palliative care unit of a tertiary cancer center, using a database to analyze the records of patients treated from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018. In total, 67 terminal cancer patients with available data on D-dimer levels were included. Patients' demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory values, including D-dimer levels, were collected. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors of poor survival. Results: The most common site of cancer was the lung (32.8%) and the median survival time was 5 days. Most laboratory results, particularly D-dimer levels, deviated from the normal range. Patients with high D-dimer levels had a significantly shorter survival time than those with low D-dimer levels (4 days vs. 7 days; P=0.012). In the Cox regression analysis, only a high D-dimer level was identified as a predictor of a poor prognosis (hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.09~3.07). Conclusion: Our results suggest that at the very end of life, D-dimer levels may serve as a prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2019

Purpose: We evaluated failure pattern and treatment outcomes of observational approach on regional lymph node (LN) in cutaneous melanoma of extremities and sought to find clinico-pathologic factors related to LN metastases. Material and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 73 patients with cutaneous melanoma of extremities between 2005 and 2016. If preoperative 18-F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) findings were non-specific for regional LNs, surgical resection of primary tumors with adequate margins was performed without sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and/or complete lymph node dissection (CLND), irrespective of tumor thickness or size. In patients with suspicious or positive findings on PET/CT or CT, SLNB followed by CLND or CLND was performed at the discretion of the surgeon. We defined LN dissection (LND) as SLNB and/or CLND. Results: With a median follow-up of 38 months (range, 6 to 138 months), the dominant pattern of failure was regional failure (17 of total 23 events, 74%) in the observation group (n = 56). Pathologic LN metastases were significant factor for poor regional failure-free survival (hazard ration [HR] = 3.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-10.33; p = 0.044) and overall survival (HR = 3.62; 95% CI, 1.02-12.94; p = 0.047) in multivariate analysis. In subgroup analysis for cN0 patients according to the preoperative PET/CT findings, LND group showed the better trend of LRFFS (log rank test, p = 0.192) and RFFS (p = 0.310), although which is not statistically significant. Conclusion: Observational approach on regional LNs on the basis of the PET/CT in patients with cutaneous melanoma of extremities showed the dominant regional failure pattern compared to upfront LND approach. To reveal regional lymph node status, SLND for cN0 patients may of importance in managing cutaneous melanoma patients.