• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.33-39
• /
• 2004

Purpose : A tumor registry system for the patients treated by radiotherapy at Samsung Medical Center since the opening of a hospital at 1994 was employed. In this study, the tumor registry system was introduced and the validity of the tumor registration was analyzed. Materials and Methods: The tumor registry system was composed of three parts: patient demographic, diagnostic, and treatment Information. All data were input in a screen using a mouse only. Among the 10,000 registered cases in the tumor registry system until Aug, 2002, 199 were randomly selected and their registration data were compared with the patients' medical records. Results : Total input errors were detected on 15 cases (7.5%). There were 8 error items In the part relating to diagnostic Information: tumor site 3, pathology 2, AJCC staging 2 and performance status 1. In the part relating to treatment information there were 9 mistaken items: combination treatment 4, the date of initial treatment 3 and radiation completeness 2. According to the assignment doctor, the error ratio was consequently variable. The doctors who 010 no double-checks showed higher errors than those that 010 (15.6%:3.7%). Conclusion: Our tumor registry had errors within 2% for each Item. Although the overall data qualify was high, further improvement might be achieved through promoting sincerity, continuing training, periodic validity tests and keeping double-checks. Also, some items associated with the hospital Information system will be input automatically In the next step.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.259-264
• /
• 1998

Purpose : This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative radiotherapy in maxillary sinus cancer. Materials and Methods : A retrospective analysis was done for 42 patients with maxillary sinus cancer who were treated with radiation with or without surgery from April 1986 to September 1996. There were 27 male and 15 female patients. Patients' age ranged from 24 to 75 years (median 56 years). Stage distribution showed 2 in T2, 19 in T3, and 21 in T4 lesions The histologic type was squamous cell carcinoma in 38, undifferentiated carcinoma in 1, transitional cell carcinoma in 1, and adenoid cystic carcinoma in 2 patients. All patients were treated with radiation initially with a dosage range of 50.4-70.2 Gy (median 70.2 Gy) before further evaluation of remnant disease. Eleven patients were given induction chemotherapy (2cycles of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin) concurrently with radiotherapy. Six to eight weeks after radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy computerized tomography (CT) of paranasal sinus was taken to evaluate remnant disease. If the CT finding showed remnant disease, a Caldwell-Luc procedure was done to get the specimen of suspicious lesions. A radical maxillectomy was done if the specimen was proven to contain malignancy. In contrast periodic follow-up examination was done without any radical surgery if the tissue showed only granulation tissue. Follow-up period ranged from 3 to 92 months with a median 16 months. Results : Nine (21.4$\%$) patients showed complete response (CR) and 33 patients (78.6$\%$) showed persistent disease (PER) to initial radiotherapy. Among the 9 CR patients, 7 patients had no evidence of disease (NED), 1 patient had local failure, and 1 patient had regional failure. Among 33 PER patients, salvage total maxillectomy was done in 10 patients, and the surgery was not feasible or refused in 23 patients. Following the salvage radical surgery, 2 patients were NED and 8 patients were PER status. Overall and disease- free survival rate at 5 years was 23.1$\%$ and 16.7$\%$, respectively. The only factors associated with the overall survival rate was the response to radiotherapy (P<0.01). Conclusion : The only factors associated with the overall survival rate was the response to radiotherapy. We could omit a radical mutilating surgery by preoperative irradiation in 7 of 42 patients (21.4$\%$) so as to preserve their facial integrity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.307-313
• /
• 2010

Purpose : Results of the Korea National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children, which was launched in November 2007, were evaluated for future research and policy development. Methods : Data from a total of 2,729,340 cases were analyzed. Five visiting ages, such as 4, 9, 18, 30, and 60 months, were included. Several parameters such as stunting, obesity, and positive rate of developmental screening were also analyzed. Telephone survey was performed in 1,035 users. For the provider survey, 262 doctors participated in our study. Results : The overall participation rate of users was 35.3%. This participation rate showed a decrement tendency to old age and low income. Only 6.9% of users participated in oral screening. Health screening was performed mainly in private clinics (82.6%). The recall rate of 4 months program users at the age of 9 months was 57.3%. The positive rate of screening was 3.1%, and was higher in the low-income group. By telephone survey, users reported that questionnaires were not difficult (94%) and overall satisfaction was good (73%). Longer duration of counseling was related with more satisfied users. Counseling and health education were helpful to users (73.2%). Doctors agreed that this program was helpful to children (98.5%). Conclusion : Korea National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children was launched successfully. Participation rate should be improved, and a quality control program needs to be developed. More intensive support following this program for children of low-income families may lead to effective interventions in controlling health inequality. Periodic update of guidelines is also needed.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 1999

In the course of modernization and globalization, each region in Korea has experienced deep subordination to the center of Seoul and the increase of colonization possibility by world capital. In order to overcome the current situation, above all, the strategies should be developed focusing on daily life and life space. The basis for the development of strategies is the establishment of regional identity on life space. It is because of the reason that life space, or small-scale region has drawn wide attention in the research of geography in recent years. Especially, humanistic geography and new regional geography have developed the concerning theory and methodology, and kept going on the research of small-scale regions. Generally speaking, there have been quite large amount of theoretical discussions on small-scale region in recent years in the field of geography. Empirical researches focusing on a particular small-scale region, however, have been rarely made. It seems related to the deficiency of data materials and the obscurity of research framework of small-scale regional geography. A community paper must be very helpful for the geographic research on small-scale region. As community paper is published based on county('gun'), small or mid-size city('si'), or district of large city('gu'), it deals with small news and daily life information closely attached to the region. Accordingly, it functions as a medium of the formation of regional identity. It is also a valuable source material for the validation of regional identity and for the analysis of identity-shaping mechanism. The geographic interests in community paper, first of all, should be taken shape by the work on the geographical distribution and the periodic change of publication situation of community papers in Korea. Another research subject on community paper is the examination of characteristics of the region by analyzing the news and the advertisements. The news in community paper must be a valuable data source of regional studies in geography. Also, the regional identification process of community people through the community paper could be and should be explored, and how the regional centrality, or self-generation based on the identity is achieved will be an important subject.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.463-471
• /
• 2006

Electrical resistivity surveys were conducted at areas of abandoned landfills in Cheonan and Wonju. Geology and extent of leachate migration around the landfills were evaluated with collected resistivity data by 2-D and 3-D resistivity inverse modeling. The Cheonan landfill is located above the paddy fields and the resistivity survey lines were crossed to examine possible pollution at the paddy fields by leakage of the landfill leachate. In Wonju, the landfill and the downgradient paddy fields are divided by a concrete barrier wall. At the bottom of the landfill, there is a leachate settlement system, which has not been in operation. To evaluate leachate leakage into the paddy fields, a total of 4 survey lines were used. According to the resistivity survey results, the landfill leachate in Cheonan appeared to be restricted only within the interior of the landfill, not to migrate into the subsurface of the paddy fields. These results are well consistent with electrical conductivity values of groundwaters obtained from a periodic analysis of water qualities. In Wonju, however, it was inferred that the leachate emanating from the landfill migrated beneath the abandoned leachate settlement system and the leachate would reach the downgradient paddy fields. Low resistivity area was observed in the old reservoir area and it appeared to be derived from convergence of groundwater flows from the surrounding valley and the moist wet land. In addition, groundwater flow into the paddy fields occurs beneath the old reservoir embankment at depths of $7{\sim}8m$. This paper reports details of the resistivity surveys for the uncontrolled landfills.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.107-112
• /
• 2001

Introduction: Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, is known to be closely associated with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*0602. Several studies have suggested that HLA-DQB1*0602 is strongly linked with narcolepsy-cataplexy. However, no studies have yet been made on whether HLA DQB1*0602 is associated with Korean patients with narcolepsy. This study was designed to investigate the frequency of HLA-DQB1*0602 of Korean patients with narcolepsy. Methods: Twenty patients were selected (mean age: $28.2{\pm}3.0$, 11 men and 9 women). The patients were confirmed to have narcolepsy by the overnight polysomnography and multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) in addition to their clinical history and symptoms at St. Vincent's Hospital and Korea University Hospital Sleep Disorders Clinic. Any subjects co-morbid with other hypersomnic sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or periodic limb movements during sleep were excluded. Clinical data was collected through a semi-structured interview for narcoleptic patients. All patients and 21 control did HLA typing for the presence of DQB1*0602. Results Obtained were as Follows: 1) Mean sleep latency was 2.4 (${\pm}2.0$ minutes) and mean frequency of sleep-onset REM period was 3.0 (${\pm}1.6$) by MSLT. 2) Characteristic symptoms of narcolepsy investigated were as follows: excessive daytime sleepiness (100%), cataplexy (100%), sleep paralysis (60%), hypnagogic hallucination (70%) and disrupted nocturnal sleep (75%). 3) Strong emotional expression such as laughing (80%) and joking (70%) triggered cataplexy which affects the knee and leg region (80%) and jaw region (30%). 4) HLA-DR2 was found in 90% of patients and 35% in controls. The frequency of HLA-DQB1*0602 in patients and controls was 90%, and 24%, respectively. Conclusions: These results, which exhibit high HLA-DQB1*0602 expression in Korean patients with narcolepsy, suggest that HLADQB1*0602 could be a strong genetic marker in narcolepsy.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.113-120
• /
• 2001

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is common and may produce various symptoms and serious complications. A substantial number of research articles on obstructive sleep apnea syndrome have been published in Korea. However, we found such limitations as lack of sufficient sample size and lack of polysomnography-proven cases. Therefore, we aimed at studying clinical features and sleep structure in a sufficient number of Korean patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome diagnostically confirmed with polysomnography. Methods: We studied 801 subjects referred to the Division of Sleep Studies, Seoul National University Hospital, who were diagnosed as having obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with polysomnography. Subjects were excluded if they had central sleep apnea syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, narcolepsy or REM sleep behavior disorder. Foreign patients were also excluded. First of all, we studied the clinical features of the subjects. Secondly, we compared sleep-related parameters of the study subjects with those of age/sex-matched normal values. Thirdly, correlations of respiratory disturbance index (RDI) with each of the sleep-related parameters were calculated. Results: Among the 801 subjects, 668 were male subjects (83.4%) and 133 female subjects (16.4%). Their mean age was 46.6 years (${\pm}13.5$). The mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.8 (${\pm}3.8$) and subjects with BMI was over 28.0 accounted for 22.8% of the total. Fifty subjects (6.2%) were found to take benzodiazepines. Mean RDI and mean nocturnal oxygen saturation of all subjects was 31.2 (${\pm}24.4$) and 94.5% (${\pm}3.6$), respectively. In comparison with normal values, the subjects showed longer sleep latency, lower sleep efficiency, decreased total slow wave sleep % (TSWS %), and decreased total REM sleep % (TREM %)(p<0.01 in all). RDI had a negative correlation with each TSWS % and TREM % (p<0.01, p<0.01). However, RDI did not have significant correlation with either sleep latency or sleep efficiency. Conclusion: In this study, 6.2% of patients diagnosed as having obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were found to take benzodiazepines, although they are generally considered to be of litte benefit or even dangerous because of the respiratory suppressing effect. The proportion of obese subjects was only 22.8% and Korean patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome seem to be less obese than those described in foreign journals. This study also suggests that the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may have a more significant effect on sleep architecture defined as TSWS % and TREM % than on sleep efficiency.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.754-759
• /
• 1998

Background : Lung cancer is an important public health problem because of rapidly increasing malignancy in both sexes in relation with high smoking rate in Korea. Despite advances in therapeutic modalities and supportive cares, 5-year survival rate has improved only marginally during the past 2 decades. Therefore, the early detection of lung cancer is strongly needed for better prognosis and we conducted this study to review the clinical factors resulting in delayed diagnosis of lung cancer. Method: The clinical data such as presenting symptoms, duration for diagnosis, disease entities causing misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, were analyzed retrospectively in 154 patients with primary lung cancer diagnosed at Chungnam National university hospital from January to December in 1995. Results : 63 patients(40.9%) out of 154 patients were delayed diagnosed with the duration of 6.3 months compared with 3.6 months in patients diagnosed without delay. In delayed diagnosed group, Cough & sputum and dyspnea as presenting symptom were more critical than hemoptysis and chest pain, and doctor's delay was more critical than patient's delay. Tuberculosis(30/63) was most frequent disease entity causing delayed diagnosis, followed by pneumorua(9/63), COPD(6/63), heart diseases(5/63), etc.. Conclusion: It should be emphasized that any respiratory symptom be checked with chest X-ray to differentiate lung cancer and periodic check of chest X-ray be also needed for the longterm patients with any disease, especially with high risk group.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.266-274
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze the number of visitors to the top of Seoseokdae in Mudeungsan National Park, in which visitors are concentrated, and their visiting patterns, thereby suggesting measures to manage the visitors. The number of annual visitors and the numbers of regional and seasonal visitors to Mudeungsan National Park, which affect the concentration of visits to Seoseokdae were analyzed using the data produced by an automatic digitizing device. A field study was conducted to examine the number of seasonal and periodic visitors to Seoseokdae and their visiting patterns. In 2015, the number of visitors was 2,563,651 and 83.9% of the visitors visited via the Jeungsimsa and Wonhyosa area that is near Gwangju City. This area is close to the Seoseokdae area and it is easy to hike between the areas. Therefore, there was an influx of most visitors to Seoseokdae into the Jeungsimsa and Wonhyosa area. In terms of seasonal visitors, the largest number of visitors came in the fall, followed by the summer, spring, and winter in order. However, the seasonal differences were not notable. There was no statistically significant correlation between the number of visitors and meteorological factors. This result may have been because Gwangju citizens frequently visit Mudeungsan regardless of period and weather. Visitors can get to Seoseokdae via the trails into Wonhyosa and Jangbuljae. A slightly larger number of visitors used the trail into Jangbuljae in the fall and winter, whereas a larger number of visitors used the trail into Wonhyosa in the summer. In general, there is a large influx of visitors into Jangbuljae, a strategic visiting point. However, a slightly larger number of visitors may have chosen the trail into Wonhyosa in the summer because they could hike under the shade of trees. In the summer, visitors stayed in Seoseokdae for a short time with a low level of crowdedness. On the other hand, in the fall and winter, visitors stayed in the area longer because they had lunch and rested. During the time, the number of momentary maximum visitors peaked, causing extreme crowdedness. Therefore, some visitors showed the visiting pattern of entering the grassland outside the designate zone. Because this behavior can damage the grassland on the top of Seoseokdae, which can lead to soil erosion, intensive visitor management may be necessary.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.55-63
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study was to provide the basic data for preventing dental caries, and maintaining and enhancing oral health. The subjects of this study were 138 male and female students who were in the 6th grade of elementary schools in Gimpo city. This study investigated the number of decayed tooth and the factors related to the number of decayed tooth, by using the results of questionnaire and oral health survey over such subjects. So, this study obtained the following conclusions. 1. For the number of decayed tooth, 'nothing(D = 0)' was the highest as 37.7%, and 'from two to three' was 23.9%, 'more than four' was 21%, and 'one' was 17.4% in order. 2. For the frequency of visiting dental clinics within the last one year, 'one to two times' was the highest as 52.2%, and the children who have not visited dental clinics even one time during one year were 23.9%. 3. For average daily tooth brushing frequency, 'two times' was the highest as 71.7%. For the use of oral health devices besides toothbrushes, 'I don't use' was the highest as 54.3%. For the experience of sealant and fluoride application, 'nothing' was the highest as 86.9% and 71.3% respectively. For the recognition on the use of fluoride dentifrice, 'I don't know' was the highest as 66.9%. 4. The socio-demographic factors related to the number of decayed tooth were mother's age, mother's background, mother's employment, and after-school fosterer(p > 0.05). 5. The oral health care factors related to the number of decayed tooth were average daily tooth brushing frequency, the use of oral health devices besides toothbrushes, and the experience of fluoride application.(p > 0.05) 6. The snack intake factors related to the number of decayed tooth were tooth care foods intake frequency and decaying foods intake frequency(p > 0.05). 7. The oral health belief item related to the number of decayed tooth was susceptibility(p > 0.05). 8. According to the results of regression analysis, the less mother was employed, the more the average daily tooth brushing frequency was, the more the tooth care foods intake frequency was, the less the decaying foods intake frequency was, and the higher susceptibility was, the lower the number of decayed tooth. 9. In order to prevent and cure early the dental caries which occur frequently in elementary school students, the establishment of oral health centers within schools should be expanded to promote tooth brushing instruction, fluoride solution rinsing, diet control, periodic oral examination.