• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.1241-1246
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• 2007

Purpose : Recently, there has been several studies to clarify the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease (KD) and the relations of VEGF and endostatin that act on vascular endothelial cells to the coronary artery complications. In this report, we measured serum levels of VEGF and endostatin in acute and subacute phases of KD to assess the change of these levels and the relations to the development of coronary artery lesions (CAL). Methods : Twenty six patients were diagnosed and treated for KD between January, 2001 and July, 2005 at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University of Korea. They were divided into those with and without CAL. Serum levels of VEGF and endostatin were measured during acute and subacute phases and compared to those measured in healthy and disease control groups. Results : Serum levels of VEGF were increased in KD but no differences were noted in KD with and without CAL. Serum levels of endostatin were decreased in the acute phase of KD, however they were recovered in the subacute phase of KD, regardless of CAL. The VEGF/endostatin ratio was increased in KD. KD without CAL showed a relative decrease in this ratio during the subacute phase. Significant positive correlations were found between serum VEGF and WBC count, VEGF and ESR, VEGF/endostatin ratio and ESR in the acute phase of KD. Conclusion : Analysis of factors influencing the vascular endothelium such as VEGF and endostatin will help to clarify the etiology of KD and the pathogenesis of CAL.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 1994

Purpose : Metastatic cancer to the brain is a major problem for the patients with bronchogenic carcinoma, and most of these patients have a limited survival expectancy. To increase tumor control and / or to decrease late morbidity with possible shortening in over-all treatment period, multiple daily fraction technique for brain metastasis was performed. The author reperesented the results of accelerated fractionation radiotherapy in patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer. Materals and Methods : Twenty-six patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer between 1991 and 1993 received brain radiotherapy with a total dose of 48 Gy, at 2 Gy per fraction, twice a day with a interfractional period of 6 hours, and delivered 5 days a week. The whole brain was treated to 40 Gy and boost dose escalated to 8 Gy for single metastatic lesion by reduced field. Twenty-four of the 26 patients completed the radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was interupted in two patients suggesting progressive intracerebral diseases. Results : This radiotherapy regimen appears to be comparable to the conventional scheme in relief from symptoms. Three of the 24 patients experienced nausea and or vomiting during the course of treatment because of acute irradiation toxicity. The author observed no excessive toxicity with escalating dose of irradiation. An increment in median survival, although not statistically significant(p>0.05), was noted with escalating doses(48 Gy) of accelerated fractionation(7 months) compared to conventional treatment(4.5 months). Median survival also increased in patients with brain solitary metastasis(9 months) compared to multiple extrathoracic sites(4 months), and in patients with good performance status(9 months versus 3.5 months), they were statistically significant (p<0.01). Conclusion : The increment in survival in patients with good prognostic factors such as controlled primary lesion, metastasis in brain only and good perfomance status appeared encouraging. Based on these results, a multi-institutional prospective randomized trial should be initiated to compare the twice-a-day and once-a-day radiotherapy schemes on patients with brain metastasis with careful consideration for the patients' quality of life.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.177-197
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• 2007

This study discussed the climbing learning method which studied and practiced by Professor Saito Noboru. This is the learning method which is devised to know not only the relationship of the learning factors but the systemic or structural connection of whole studying contents- affects children's math learning ability through practical class to both the lower and the higher grades. To achieve the purpose of this study, these following issues were set; A. Develop the teaching and learning course of mathematics by applying the climbing learning method. B. Execute the mathematics lesson according to the climbing learning method and analyze the learning achievement. C. Analyze the difference between application of the climbing learning method and that of the learning method by student's level in mathematics. D. Analyze what the climbing learning method gives a shift of the recognition of learning mathematics. In order to accomplish these study issues, we analyzed the text book of math not only for children but also for teachers and developed the teaching and learning course applied the climbing learning method with advice of experts. It was chosen two different homogeneous groups each, third year for lower grade group and fifth year for higher grade group. It was done the experimental group lesson applying the climbing learning method and general lesson for the control group. After then, t-test against independent samples was done depending on the result of the student's assessment(T1, T2). These two groups' students were divided into smaller groups based on result of achievement level regardless of gender. These subgroups were confirmed the difference of learning ability between upper and lower level group. As regarding the result making out grades of faith and attitude for math, t-test was used on independent sample. At the same time, experimental groups were tested using learning attitude with the learning structure chart. Through this study the following results are obtained and the conclusion was drawn. Firstly, although applying the climbing learning method to the lesson does not have significant effect to the lower grade of elementary school student's achievement it has significant influence on the higher grade student's achievement. Second, as a result of analyzing the difference between the climbing learning method and the learning method by student's level in mathematics, it is of no beneficial effect to the lower grade both upper level and lower level. However, it has appreciable effect to the higher grade classes both upper level and low level. Especially, upper level students have higher effect than low level students. Third, climbing learning method does not affect to the faith and attitude of the lower grade students positively, but it has affirmative effect to the higher grade students'. As a result of the survey of the experimental groups which were applied to the climbing loaming method, the lesson by using the learning structure chart proved to be helpful to the both the lower and higher grade. The best advantage of using the learning structure chart, children say, is easily understood whole contents of studying and is useful for review. Furthermore, using the learning structure chart is more efficient compared with previous learning method and is given the successful result to self-directed learning. In conclusion, keeping up with the current of the thought of education, we suggest a scheme as a new teaching method from the constructive learning method which emphasize the self-directed learning.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.811-816
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• 2003

Purpose : Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology with a predilection for the coronary arteries. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is a cytokine which promotes vascular permeability and angiogenesis. We investigated serum VEGF(sVEGF) levels in Kawasaki disease to determine whether sVEGF level can be used as a risk factor to predict the occurrence of coronary artery lesions(CAL) in Kawasaki disease. Methods : We measured sVEGF levels in 11 patients with Kawasaki disease in acute phase(patient group)and 11 normal children(control group) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) method. We investigated the relationship between sVEGF levels and the lumen diameters of coronary artery and other potential CAL risk factors; duration of fever, hemoglobin, WBC counts, platelet counts, ESR, CRP and LDH levels. Results : SVEGF levels of patients in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease(mean $847.9{\pm}495.7pg/mL$) were significantly higher than that of normal controls(mean $279.9{\pm}150.6pg/mL$; P<0.05). SVEGF levels showed significant positive correlation with the lumen diameters of the coronary artery(P<0.05, $r_s=0.75$) in the patient group. There was no significant correlation between sVEGF levels and duration of fever or other laboratory measurements. Conclusion : Our results support the notion that sVEGF level may be considered as a predictive indicator for the occurrence of coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2002

Objectives : As medical science develops, survival rate of cancer patients rises. Therefore, psychologic understanding and improving quality of life in cancer patients is getting greater significance. The Object of this study is to investigate sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, psychopathology, self esteem and quality of life in cancer patients and to provide useful information for therapeutic approach to cancer patients. Methods : The subjects were 41 patents who had been treated by radiotherapy and 20 normal people. Sociodemographic information and clinical characteristics of cancer patients were investigated, and SCL-90R for psychopathology, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale for self esteem, WHOQOL-BREF for quality of life were administered to subjects. The results of both groups were compared and analysed, and correlation between variables were evaluated. Results : 1) The tendency of Somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobia, psychosis in cancer group were higher than normal group. Especially, somatization and anxiety in cancer group were significantly higher than normal group. 2) Self esteem and quality of life in cancer group were significantly lower than normal group. 3) No significance were found in comparison of psychopathology, self esteem and quality of life according to sociodemographic variables. Among clinical characteristics, higher somatization was shown in case of more weight loss, and higher somatization and lower quality of life was shown in the presence of pain. 4) Higher anxiety was significantly associated with lower self esteem, and Higher somatization and anxiety was significantly associated with lower quality of life. Conclusion : Cancer patients had various kinds of psychopathology, low self esteem and low quality of life. In particular, somatization and anxiety, self esteem and pain were found to be important factors to quality of life of cancer patients. Therefore, management of psychopathology, improving self esteem, pain control is necessary to improve quality of life in cancer patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.6958-6965
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• 2014

This study examined the occurring pattern of potential risky species and the related abiotic factors for port-specific environmental management considering the control of ballast water-induced foreign species at Incheon seaport. From a total of 62 species observed during the study, 13 red-tide and 7 toxic phytoplankton, normally occurring species in Korean waters, occurred from the seasonal investigation at the inner and outer sites of the Incheon seaport from 2007 to 2009. The number of potential risky phytoplankton was relatively high at the outer site of the port during summer and winter. Red-tide species, such as Skeletonema spp., Thalassiosira nordenskioldii, and Paralia sulcata, dominated the total standing crops at the inner site (avg. 72.4%) and outer site (avg. 77.6%) in spring and summer, being positively correlated with the concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) and pH (p<0.05). In summer, the red-tide species (Skeletonema spp.) and toxic species (Alexandrium catenella, A. tamarense, Dinophysis acuminata and Pseudo-nitzschia spp.) co-dominated (avg. 74.2%) at the inner site, while Skeletonema spp. and P. sulcata predominated (avg. 67.2%) at the outer site. During the study periods, the toxic species were significantly and positively correlated with the chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved inorganic nitrogen, silicate and phosphate (p < 0.05). The chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration of phytoplankton at the outer site ranged from 1.49 to $5.46{\mu}g/L$ on average, which was 3-5 times higher than that at the inner site in spring, summer and autumn, whereas there was no difference in the concentration between inner (avg. $0.94{\mu}g/L$) and outer (avg. $0.95{\mu}g/L$) sites in winter. In summary, diverse red-tide species dominated and a relatively high chl-a concentration existed at the outer site, whereas a relatively high number of toxic species and low chl-a concentration was observed at the inner site in summer. The potential risky species can outbreak in association with the concentration of nutrients, COD and TSS, suggesting that distinctive management of potential risky species is needed considering the environmental characteristics of Incheon seaport.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10407-10412
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• 2015

Background: ${\beta}$-elemene, extracted from herb medicine Curcuma wenyujin has potent anti-tumor effects in various cancer cell lines. However, the activity of ${\beta}$-elemene against glioma cells remains unclear. In the present study, we assessed effects of ${\beta}$-elemene on human glioma cells and explored the underlying mechanism. Materials and Methods: Human glioma U87 cells were used. Cell proliferation was determined with MTT assay and colony formation assay to detect the effect of ${\beta}$-elemene at different doses and times. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe cell apoptosis with Hoechst 33258 staining and change of glioma apoptosis and cell cycling were analyzed by flow cytometry. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western-blotting assay were performed to investigated the influence of ${\beta}$-elemene on expression levels of Fas/FasL, caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax. The experiment was divided into two groups: the blank control group and ${\beta}$-elemne treatment group. Results: With increase in the concentration of ${\beta}$-elemene, cytotoxic effects were enhanced in the glioma cell line and the concentration of inhibited cell viability ($IC_{50}$) was $48.5{\mu}g/mL$ for 24h. ${\beta}$-elemene could induce cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. With Hoechst 33258 staining, apoptotic nuclear morphological changes were observed. Activation of caspase-3,-8 and -9 was increased and the pro-apoptotic factors Fas/FasL and Bax were upregulated, while the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was downregulated after treatment with ${\beta}$-elemene at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, proliferation and colony formation by U87 cells were inhibited by ${\beta}$-elemene in a time and does-dependent manner. Conclusions: Our results indicate that ${\beta}$-elemene inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of human glioma cells in vitro. The induction of apoptosis appears to be related with the upregulation of Fas/FasL and Bax, activation of caspase-3,-8 and -9 and downregulation of Bcl-2, which then trigger major apoptotic cascades.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2009

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among korean woman. Therefore, the early detection activities of breast cancer such as breast self-examinations, clinical breast examinations, mammography are important. A yearly mammography examination has been recommended for women aged 40 and older for the early detection of breast cancer in asymptomatic periods. However, the glandular tissue of breast is the most radiation-sensitive tissue, and the determination of average glandular dose (AGD) forms an important part of the quality control of the mammographic systems. Because of the difficulty of estimating AGD directly, it is often estimated from the measurements of the incident air kerma and by applying the appropriate conversion factors. The primary objective of this study was to standardize the method of measuring AGD. The secondary objective was to evaluate the relationships between AGD per various composition and thickness of the breast using Monte Carlo simulations. As a result, we standardized the method of measuring AGD according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines (CoP: an international code of practice). Overall, AGD for mammographic practice in Korea was less than 3.0 mGy recommended by the Korea Food and Drug Adminstration (KFDA) protocol, and Korean Institute for Accreditation of Medical Image (KIAMI). The measured and simulated AGD for a given condition were calculated as 1.7 and 1.6 mGy, respectively. For the AGDs obtained, there was no significant difference between them. The simulated AGD was dependent on the fraction of glandular tissue of the breast. The AGD increases with increasing of the breast glandularity due to increasing absorption of low energy photons. The AGD also increases as a function of breast thickness. In conclusion, the results of this study could be used as a baseline to establish a reference level of radiation dose in mammography.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.112-132
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• 1975

When Korean family planning services began as a part of the National Policy in 1962, the annual population growth was 3.0%. This growth rate has been decreased to 2.0% during last ten year period. And it seems imperative that all hospitals, as well as related organizations, should participate in family planning in order to contribute to achieving the National goal of 1.5% population growth by 1976, the end of the Third Five Year Economic Development Plan. Nurses should be considered the most important human resources in charge of the core of family planning services in any setting. For the family planning services in the general hospital setting, nurses as a core members contribute much as change agent, motivators, counsellors, educators etc. A nurse can work with patients and their relatives when she is equipped with relevant knowledge and skills. Fur the more family planning cannot be ignored even in hospital setting where more comprehensive nursing care is needed Thus, the general objective of this study is to provide baseline data for better programming of In-service education in family planning so that effective hospital family planning nursing services can be made a part of comprehensive nursing care contributing to the national population program and human welfare. In order to meet the general objective, this study has the following specific objectives : 1. To find out the general characteristics of the clinical nurses working in Y Hospital 2. To evaluate their attitudes and practices of family planning 3. To assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices of population and family planning as professional nurses. 4. To examine and compare data collecting methods for the planning of an In-service Educational Program 5. To explore the contents to be included in this In-service Education Program. The study population randomly selected one hundred nurses working in Y Hospital A cross-sectional survey with questionnaires developed for this study was chosen for the study method. To collect reliable data, the questionnaires were distributed to and answered by the study population in a controlled situation. X²test and t-test was employed in analyzing the data. The findings of this study are as follows: 1. Y Hospital nurses had a lower ideal number of children (X=2.02) and showed no strong preference for male children, and 74% of them expressed the desire to use permanent methods of birth control 2. of this thirty Y Hospital nurses who were married 66.7% stated they were already practicing contraceptive methods. Most of them preferred male methods of contraception. 3. According to objective evaluation about knowledge of various aspects of population and family planning, respondents from collegiate programs significantly knew better the subjects on the average than did respondents from diploma programs of nursing. 4. There was a marked difference in the results of self-evaluation and objective evaluation in their family planning knowledge. It was found that the self-evaluation family planning knowledge seemed to be unreliable. Accordingly, the objective test methods appeared to be more reliable in the evaluation of knowledge levels. 5. The subject areas needed to be included in In-service education for the Hospital family planning services in Y Hospital are 1) rhythm methods, 2) tubal-legation, 3) family planning effects of contraceptives, 4) population growth, 5) demographic traction, 6) population structure and 7) infant mortality facts. In addition, 1) various oral contraceptives, 2) basal temperature method, 3) laparoscopic female sterilization, 4) interfering factors of family planning, 5) anatomy and physiology of the female reproductive organs were additional areas to be taught to respondents from 3-year diploma schools of nursing. Demographic transition was one subject area in which the four-year graduates need further study. 6. Population problems guidance and counselling in family planning instruction in the theory and practice of contraceptives should be included in future In-service Education Programs in order to provide more effective hospital Family Planning Services, stated 77.0% of the respondents.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2002

The accuracy of radiation dose delivery to target volume is one of the most important factors for good local control and less treatment complication. In vivo dosimetry is an essential QA procedure to confirm the radiation dose delivered to the patients. Transmission dose measurement is a useful method of in vivo dosimetry and it's advantages are non-invasiveness, simplicity and no additional efforts needed for dosimetry. In our department, in vivo dosimetry system using measurement of transmission dose was manufactured and algorithms for estimation of transmission dose were developed and tested with phantom in various conditions successfully. This system was applied in clinic to test stability, reproducibility and applicability to daily treatment and the accuracy of the algorithm. Transmission dose measurement was performed over three weeks. To test the reproducibility of this system, X-tay output was measured before daily treatment and then every hour during treatment time in reference condition(field size; $10 cm{\times} 10 cm$, 100 MU). Data of 11 patients whose pelvis were treated more than three times were analyzed. The reproducibility of the dosimetry system was acceptable with variations of measurement during each day and over 3 week period within ${\pm}2.0%$. On anterior- posterior and posterior fields, mean errors were between -5.20% and +2.20% without bone correction and between -0.62% and +3.32% with bone correction. On right and left lateral fields, mean errors were between -10.80% and +3.46% without bone correction and between -0.55% and +3.50% with bone correction. As the results, we could confirm the reproducibility and stability of our dosimetry system and its applicability in daily radiation treatment. We could also find that inhomogeneity correction for bone is essential and the estimated transmission doses are relatively accurate.