• Title/Summary/Keyword: Minority

Search Result 778, Processing Time 0.026 seconds

Targeted Therapies and Radiation for the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer (두경부 암의 표적 지향적 방사선 치료)

  • Kim, Gwi-Eon
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
    • /
    • v.22 no.2
    • /
    • pp.77-90
    • /
    • 2004
  • Purpose: The purpose of this review Is to provide an update on novel radiation treatments for head and neck cancer Recent Findings: Despite the remarkable advances In chemotherapy and radiotherapy techniques, the management of advanced head and neck cancer remains challenging. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) Is an appealing target for novel therapies In head and neck cancer because not only EGFR activation stimulates many important signaling pathways associated with cancer development and progression, and importantly, resistance to radiation. Furthermore, EGFR overexpression Is known to be portended for a worse outcome in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Two categories of compounds designed to abrogate EGFR signaling, such as monoclonal antibodies (Cetuxlmab) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ZD1839 and 051-774) have been assessed and have been most extensively studied In preclinical models and clinical trials. Additional TKIs In clinical trials include a reversible agent, Cl-1033, which blocks activation of all erbB receptors. Encouraging preclinical data for head and neck cancers resulted In rapid translation Into the clinic. Results from Initial clinical trials show rather surprisingly that only minority of patients benefited from EGFR inhibition as monotherapy or In combination with chemotherapy. In this review, we begin with a brief summary of erbB- mediated signal transduction. Subsequently, we present data on prognostic-predictive value of erbB receptor expression in HNC followed by preclinlcal and clinical data on the role of EGFR antagonists alone or in combination with radiation In the treatment of HNC. Finally, we discuss the emerging thoughts on resistance to EGFR biockade and efforts In the development of multiple-targeted therapy for combination with chemotherapy or radiation. Current challenges for investigators are to determine (1 ) who will benefit from targeted agents and which agents are most appropriate to combine with radiation and/or chemotherapy, (2) how to sequence these agents with radiation and/or cytotoxlc compounds, (3) reliable markers for patient selection and verification of effective blockade of signaling in vivo, and (4) mechanisms behind intrinsic or acquired resistance to targeted agents to facilitate rational development of multi-targeted therapy, Other molecuiar-targeted approaches In head and neck cancer were briefly described, Including angloenesis Inhibitors, farnesyl transferase inhibitors, cell cycle regulators, and gene therapy Summary: Novel targeted theraples are highly appealing in advanced head and neck cancer, and the most premising strategy to use them Is a matter of intense Investigation.

Analysis of Quorum Sensing-Related Phenotypes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates (녹농균 임상균주의 쿼럼 센싱 관련 표현형 분석)

  • Jung, Kyung-Ju;Choi, Yu-Sang;Ha, Chang-Wan;Shin, Jeong-Hwan;Lee, Joon-Hee
    • Korean Journal of Microbiology
    • /
    • v.46 no.3
    • /
    • pp.240-247
    • /
    • 2010
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram (-) opportunistic human pathogen causing a wide variety of infections on lung, urinary tract, eyes, and burn wound sites and quorum sensing (QS), a cell density-sensing mechanism plays an essential role in Pseudomonas pathogenesis. In order to investigate the importance of QS in the Pseudomonas infections of Korean patients, we isolated 189 clinical strains of P. aeruginosa from the patients in Pusan Paik Hospital, Busan, South Korea. The QS signal production of these clinical isolates was measured by signal diffusion assay on solid media using reporter strains. While most clinical strains (79.4%) produced the QS signals as similar level as a wild type strain, PAO1 did, where LasR, the initial QS signal sensor-regulator was fully activated, a minority of them (4.2%) produced much less QS signals at the level to which LasR failed to respond. Similarly, while 72.5% of the clinical isolates produced QS signals enough to activate QscR, an another QS signal sensor-regulator, some few of them (9%) produced the QS signals at much lower level where QscR was not activated. For further analysis, we selected 74 clinical strains that were obtained from the patients under suspicion of Pseudomonas infection and investigated the total protease activity that is considered important for virulence. Interestingly, significant portion of them showed very low protease activity (44.6%) or no detectable protease activity (12.2%). When the biofilm-forming ability that is considered very important in chronic infection was examined, most isolates showed lower biofilm-forming activity than PAO1. Similarly, significant portion of clinical isolates showed reduced motility (reduced swarming activity in 51.4% and reduced twitching activity in 41.9%), or non-detectable motility (swarming-negative in 28.4% and twitching-negative in 28.4%). Our result showed that the clinical isolates that produced QS signals at the similar level to wild type could have significantly reduced activities in the protease production, biofilm formation, and motility, and some clinical isolates had unique patterns of motility, biofilm formation, and protease production that are not correlated to their QS activity.

Recent Advancement in the Stem Cell Biology (Stem Cell Biology, 최근의 진보)

  • Harn, Chang-Yawl
    • Journal of Plant Biotechnology
    • /
    • v.33 no.3
    • /
    • pp.195-207
    • /
    • 2006
  • Stem cells are the primordial, initial cells which usually divide asymmetrically giving rise to on the one hand self-renewals and on the other hand progenitor cells with potential for differentiation. Zygote (fertilized egg), with totipotency, deserves the top-ranking stem cell - he totipotent stem cell (TSC). Both the ICM (inner cell mass) taken from the 6 days-old human blastocyst and ESC (embryonic stem cell) derived from the in vitro cultured ICM have slightly less potency for differentiation than the zygote, and are termed pluripotent stem cells. Stem cells in the tissues and organs of fetus, infant, and adult have highly reduced potency and committed to produce only progenitor cells for particular tissues. These tissue-specific stem cells are called multipotent stem cells. These tissue-specific/committed multipotent stem cells, when placed in altered environment other than their original niche, can yield cells characteristic of the altered environment. These findings are certainly of potential interest from the clinical, therapeutic perspective. The controversial terminology 'somatic stem cell plasticity' coined by the stem cell community seems to have been proved true. Followings are some of the recent knowledges related to the stem cell. Just as the tissues of our body have their own multipotent stem cells, cancerous tumor has undifferentiated cells known as cancer stem cell (CSC). Each time CSC cleaves, it makes two daughter cells with different fate. One is endowed with immortality, the remarkable ability to divide indefinitely, while the other progeny cell divides occasionally but lives forever. In the cancer tumor, CSC is minority being as few as 3-5% of the tumor mass but it is the culprit behind the tumor-malignancy, metastasis, and recurrence of cancer. CSC is like a master print. As long as the original exists, copies can be made and the disease can persist. If the CSC is destroyed, cancer tumor can't grow. In the decades-long cancer therapy, efforts were focused on the reducing of the bulk of cancerous growth. How cancer therapy is changing to destroy the origin of tumor, the CSC. The next generation of treatments should be to recognize and target the root cause of cancerous growth, the CSC, rather than the reducing of the bulk of tumor, Now the strategy is to find a way to identify and isolate the stem cells. The surfaces of normal as well as the cancer stem cells are studded with proteins. In leukaemia stem cell, for example, protein CD 34 is identified. In the new treatment of cancer disease it is needed to look for protein unique to the CSC. Blocking the stem cell's source of nutrients might be another effective strategy. The mystery of sternness of stem cells has begun to be deciphered. ESC can replicate indefinitely and yet retains the potential to turn into any kind of differentiated cells. Polycomb group protein such as Suz 12 repress most of the regulatory genes which, activated, are turned to be developmental genes. These protein molecules keep the ESC in an undifferentiated state. Many of the regulator genes silenced by polycomb proteins are also occupied by such ESC transcription factors as Oct 4, Sox 2, and Nanog. Both polycomb and transcription factor proteins seem to cooperate to keep the ESC in an undifferentiated state, pluripotent, and self-renewable. A normal prion protein (PrP) is found throughout the body from blood to the brain. Prion diseases such as mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) are caused when a normal prion protein misfolds to give rise to PrP$^{SC}$ and assault brain tissue. Why has human body kept such a deadly and enigmatic protein? Although our body has preserved the prion protein, prion diseases are of rare occurrence. Deadly prion diseases have been intensively studied, but normal prion problems are not. Very few facts on the benefit of prion proteins have been known so far. It was found that PrP was hugely expressed on the stem cell surface of bone marrow and on the cells of neural progenitor, PrP seems to have some function in cell maturation and facilitate the division of stem cells and their self-renewal. PrP also might help guide the decision of neural progenitor cell to become a neuron.

Comparison of Awareness of Symptoms and Illness Between Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Simple Snoring (수면무호흡증과 단순 코골이 환자의 증상과 질환 인식도 비교)

  • Lee, Seyoung;Kang, Jae Myeong;Cho, Yoon-Soo;Yoon, Hyun Jin;Kim, Ji-Eun;Shin, Seung-Heon;Park, Kee Hyung;Kim, Seon Tae;Kang, Seung-Gul
    • Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
    • /
    • v.23 no.1
    • /
    • pp.16-24
    • /
    • 2016
  • Background and Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often undiagnosed but is an important risk factor affecting the health of an individual. The level of awareness of the illness among patients with OSA is low and is not correlated with severity of the illness. This study was conducted to compare awareness of OSA symptoms and illness between patients with OSA and simple snorers. Materials and Methods: Two hundred eighty-two patients who were suspected of having OSA participated in this study. All subjects underwent overnight polysomnography. Those with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ${\geq}5$ were classified as the OSA group, while those with an AHI < 5 were classified as the simple snoring group. A sleep questionnaire, which included items on awareness of the illness, OSA, and sleep symptoms, was administered to all subjects and their bed-partners. Results: Simple snorers were much more aware of their symptoms such as snoring, irregular breathing, and apnea than were patients with OSA. Bed-partners of simple snorers were also more aware of the participants' sleep symptoms than were partners of patients with OSA. However, the duration of OSA symptoms was longer in the OSA group. In the correlation analysis, the level of awareness of OSA symptoms was negatively correlated with AHI, age, body mass index, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale score. Among the sleep questionnaire and polysomnography results, only Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was positively correlated with level of awareness of OSA symptoms. The minority of the respondents had heard about the treatment methods of continuous positive airway pressure and oral appliance and preferred them as treatment options. Conclusion: This study suggests that simple snorers are more aware of their symptoms than are patients with OSA. A higher severity of OSA, represented by a higher AHI, is correlated with lower awareness of one's OSA symptoms.

Communication and Enjoyment of Sijo through the Mass Media in the First Half of the 20th Century (유성기음반과 라디오방송을 통해 향유된 시조의 양상과 특징)

  • Park, Jee-Ae
    • Sijohaknonchong
    • /
    • v.44
    • /
    • pp.7-28
    • /
    • 2016
  • Music was made popular through the modern mass media. Nonetheless, if a period of high standard performances and appreciation by a minority of culture connoisseurs can be qualified with the expression "gentrification of culture", then a period when anyone can access culture through the mass media can be qualified with the terms "popularization of culture" and in this period the reorganization of performance culture can only be driven by the public. In fact, the Jabga, which is a type of traditional song that received strong public adhesion by means of phonograph records and radio broadcasts at the time, stands as a typical example to it. Gagok and Sijo up until the 1920s and even the 1930s are believed to engage actively in the changing media environment and the new modes of music enjoyment and transmission. The Album recording of faster rhythm music and the inclusion of the Sijo, Jabga, and folk songs in one broadcast programme can be seen as reflecting such an effort. However, it can only be hard for the Sijo and Gagok to challenge the predominance of the Jabga which made its lyrics more popular and the new songs written in accordance with the new media environment. Until the 1930s in this changing environment of music enjoyment, Gagok and Sijo performers rather sought to distinguish themselves from the existing popular song style by reproducing traditional forms. The album recording and broadcasting of Lee Wangjik Aakbu, the beginnings of local singers, the participation of male performers not only contributed to the diversification the enjoyment culture of songs and sijo, but also made the 'difference in standard' with the popular songs even more salient.

  • PDF

Timing and Risk Factors of Adoption for Legally-Free Foster Children after Having Parental Rights Terminated in the U. S. (미국 위탁아동의 친권상실선고 이후 입양 결정요인에 관한 생존분석)

  • Song, Min-Kyoung
    • Korean Journal of Social Welfare
    • /
    • v.59 no.1
    • /
    • pp.301-327
    • /
    • 2007
  • The purpose of this study is to examine the timing and the risk factors associated with the adoption of legally-free foster children. The sample of the study was drawn from foster care files of Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System(AFCARS) in 32 states between October 1998 (FY 1999) and September 2002(FY 2002). The timing post-TPR to adoption was examined by plotting the Kaplan-Meier cumulative hazard function for adoption and by plotting the KM hazard functions stratified by child's race and child's age at TPR. Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for adoption of legally-free foster children after TPR. The hazard of adoption was very low immediately after TPR but increased steadily starting at 3 months and then declined after 20 months. The cumulative hazard functions for White non-Hispanic children and Black non-Hispanic children crossed over at 13 months after TPR. Racial minority status, older age, and disability were negatively associated with the hazard of adoption. Physical abuse, sexual abuse had the lower hazard for adoption compared by neglect. Caretaker's inability to cope had the slightly lower hazard for adoption whereas inadequate housing showed the slightly greater hazard for adoption. Characteristics of foster care services turned into be powerful predictors of adoption. Specifically, legally-free children placed in pre-adoptive homes, those who shared the same racial/ethnic background with their foster caretakers, and those who were placed in two-parent families have a greater likelihood of adoption. The findings highlight the importance of foster care service provisions after TPR to facilitate adoption of legally-free foster children. Furthermore, a more substantial resources and targeted support for foster children who experience physical abuse and sexual abuse in need of adoption should be provided for moving the foster children into permanency.

  • PDF

Community Distribution on Mountain Forest Vegetation of the Geumsusan and Doraksan Area in the Worak National Park, Korea (월악산국립공원 금수산 및 도락산 일대 삼림식생의 군락분포에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Jung-Yun;Oh, Jang-Geun;Jung, Se-Hoon;Kim, Ha-Song
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.48 no.2
    • /
    • pp.129-138
    • /
    • 2015
  • Forest vegetation of Geumsusan (1,016.0 m) and Doraksan (964.4 m) in Woraksan National Park is classified into mountain forest vegetation. Mountain forest vegetation is subdivided into deciduous broad-leaved forest, mountain valley forest, coniferous forest, riparian forest, afforestation and other vegetation. Including 77 communities of mountain forest vegetation and 5 communities of other vegetation, the total of 82 communities were researched; mountain forest vegetation classified by physiognomy classification are 37 communities deciduous broad-leaved forest, 16 communities of mountain valley forest, 8 communities of coniferous forests, 1 community of riparian forest, 15 afforestation and 5 other vegetation. As for the distribution rate for surveyed main communities, Quercus variabilis and Quercus mongolica communities account for 33.031 percent of deciduous broadleaved forest, Cornus controversa community takes up 29.142 percent of mountain valley forest, Pinus densiflora community holds 64.477 percent of mountain coniferous forest holds. In conclusion, minority species consisting of Quercus variabilis, Quercus mongolica, Pinus densiflora, Quercus serrata and Cornus controversa are distributed as dominant species of the uppermost part in a forest vegetation region in Woraksan National Park. In addition, because of vegetation succession and climate factors, numerous colonies formed by the two species are expected to be replaced by Quercus variabilis, Quercus mongolica, Cornus controversa and Fraxinus mandshurica which are climax species in the area.

A Study on the Divinity Construction of Temples in Sapa Region, Vietnam : Case of Den Hang Pho (베트남 사파(Sapa)지역 신전(神殿)의 신격(神格) 구성 고찰 - 덴항포(Den Hang Pho, SAPA)를 소재삼아 -)

  • Lee, Yoon Sun;LE, THI NGOC CAM
    • Journal of Korean Historical Folklife
    • /
    • no.34
    • /
    • pp.253-281
    • /
    • 2010
  • This study has its purpose on figuring it out to the religious notion in Vietnam with the material of the divinity construction of Den Hang Pho in Sapa where is the northern region of Vietnam. To make this, the study divides the type of Vietnamese temples into four parts; Chua, Den, Dinh, and Mieu. Among them, the study pays attention to 'Den' because Vietnamese historical heroes are seated as divinity. This reason makes a reasonable case to this study to figure out a typically and generally religious faith. First of all, the study analyzes immaculate divinity, which generally consists of three and four layered system. The study confirms that the immaculate divinity started from the goddess and then extended to the concept to dominate the sky, the ground, the sea(river), and the mountain(forest). General Tran Hung Dao is the best historical hero in Vietnam and has been placed in temples called Den. The study exams the context that the divinity extended to the religious beliefs, for examples, the belief related in a childbirth by lots of narrations and ceremonies and the belief to treat a sickness, and also exams the context that the divinity placed in a divinity to make a symmetrical relation with immaculate faith. The study exams the divinity construction of Den Hang Pho as its authentic case. In this case, the study could verify a case emphasized by mountain Holy Mother among immaculate faiths. Especially, the study can confirm that General Tran Hung Dao was apotheosized as a concept to be symmetrized with immaculate divinity, and futhermore, a couple of snakes was emphasized by their positioning to every room. Tri-system lays stress on the aboriginality(locality) centered on minority races in the northern Vietnam, the national identity of Vietnam, and the ecological condition of rivers flowing the valley of high and steep peak. The confirmed facts could be said to a construction what the religious notion of tri-system makes. The study makes a conclusion that this kind of conversion-oriented religious notion naturally corresponded with region, nation, and ecologically environmental condition, and extended to the Vietnamese faith with polytheistic divinity.

The Change in Quality of the Labor Force and Its Effect on the Economic Growth of Korea (한국 노동력의 질적향상이 경제발전에 미치는 영향)

  • Song, Wi-sup
    • Korea journal of population studies
    • /
    • v.11 no.1
    • /
    • pp.159-184
    • /
    • 1988
  • Race and ethnicity are important factors which influence the elderIy's residential adjustment behaviors, although it is unclear whether this reflects influences unrelated to race and ethnlcity. Culturally, the norm of family supportoften obseved among various minority ethnic groups is likely to provide flexible family suppof for the elderIy. Economically, the life-long hardship ofminority groups is likely to force them to maintain extended family living arrangements simply to reduce expenses via economies of scale. Thecontroversy about the economic need versus the cultural prescription forextended living arrangements remains unresoIved because it fails to articulatethe meaning of family supports among many disadvantaged groups.This study aims to test previous economic and cultural arguments, byexamining ethnic differences iu the eiderIy's responsiveness to their health andeconomic problems. Two hypotheses about cultural influences on the elderly's resideutiai adjustment are examined. First, do elderly minorities receive famiiysupporis for longer periods when they are poor if economic and health status\ulcorner Second, do elderiy minorities receive family supports more often when their health status declines\ulcorner Using the Longitudinal Suvey on Aging from 1984 to 1990. this study employs Markovian multi-state life tables, and discrete and contonuous competing hazard analyses for the transition in living arrangements. The main results provide substantial evidence against the cultural resource thesis. Elderly minorities experience more frequent transition between living alone and living with relatives than white elderly persons when group differences in the extent of mortality and insititutionalization are controlled. The shorter timf of living alone among elderly monorities stems from their greater likehood of joining relatives as well as greater mortality and attrition rates than elderly whites. Coresidence of elderly whites with their relatives is more likely to occur in response to their needs for health care than of elderly whites. it implies that instability. not flezibility. characterrizes elderly minorities living arrangements.

  • PDF

A Study on a Democratic Records Management System in Korea (자율과 분권, 연대를 기반으로 한 국가기록관리 체제 구상)

  • Kwak, Kun-Hong
    • The Korean Journal of Archival Studies
    • /
    • no.22
    • /
    • pp.3-35
    • /
    • 2009
  • We have innovated the records management since 2004. So, We innovated the electronic records management, transparency, and accountability. From these results, we could mark a turning point to plant the democratic values in the government It is very surprising, but it is fact that there are the estrangement between the high level institutionalization and low level records cultural soil. But after starting new government, things have been going backward. We have experienced the hyper-politicized problem, shrinking governance problem, regressive personnel policies in the National Archives of Korea. 'New Innovation Model' has resulted the shrinking democratic values, and the growing the bureaucratism. At this point of change, it will be meaningful to review the future of records management. First, we should make the more archives to realize the self-control decentralization model. It means that all local governments has the duty to build the archives, and to operate it with a principle of autonomy. Second, We should start the culture movement to build the more archives, the small archives in private sector. Archives are necessary in the NGO, Universities, firms, art, media, etc. And the small archives are necessary in the various communities, which enhance the rights of minority. All these will spread the democratic values in our society. Third, right democracy system should be operated for the political neutrality, independency. This problem is not prohibited within the national archives innovation model. So, we should transfer the powers of government to local government, and we should re-innovate the National Archives Committee will have the role to make the important records management policies. In short, Unless going to forward with the more democratic values, it would go backward 'records management without democracy'.