• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.10
• /
• pp.5299-5302
• /
• 2012

Purpose: To investigate the diet of patients with cervical cancer and precancerosis in the Wufeng area, a high-incidence region in China. Methods: In the case group, 104 patients diagnosed with cervical cancer or cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINII/III) were recruited from the Wufeng area. Nine hundred thirty-six healthy women were selected from the same area as the matched controls. A questionnaire, which included questions about general lifestyle conditions, smoking and alcohol status, source of drinking water, green tea intake, and diet in the past year, was presented to all participants. Results: Green tea intake (P=0.022, OR=0.551, 95% CI=0.330-0.919) and vegetable intake (P=0.035, OR=0.896, 95% CI=0.809-0.993) were identified as protective factors against cervical cancer or CINII/III. There was no indication of any associations of other lifestyle factors (smoking status, alcohol status, source of drinking water) or diet (intake of fruit, meat/egg/milk, soybean food, onion/garlic, staple food and pickled food) with cervical cancer. Conclusions: The results suggest that eating more fresh vegetables and drinking more green tea may help to reduce the risk of cervical cancer or CINII/III in people of the Wufeng area.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.85 no.3
• /
• pp.566-578
• /
• 2024

Purpose This study investigated whether the respiratory phase during pleural puncture in CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) affects complications. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 477 lung biopsy CT scans performed during free breathing. The respiratory phases during pleural puncture were determined based on the table position of the targeted nodule using CT scans obtained during free breathing. We compared the rates of complications among the inspiratory, mid-, and expiratory respiratory phases. Logistic regression analysis was performed to control confounding factors associated with pneumothorax. Results Among the 477 procedures, pleural puncture was performed during the expiratory phase in 227 (47.6%), during the mid-phase in 108 (22.6%), and during the inspiratory phase in 142 (29.8%). The incidence of pneumothorax was significantly lower in the expiratory puncture group (40/227, 17.6%; p = 0.035) and significantly higher in the mid-phase puncture group (31/108, 28.7%; p = 0.048). After controlling for confounding factors, expiratory-phase puncture was found to be an independent protective factor against pneumothorax (odds ratio = 0.571; 95% confidence interval = 0.360-0.906; p = 0.017). Conclusion Our findings suggest that pleural puncture during the expiratory phase may reduce the risk of pneumothorax during image guided PTNB.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.129-143
• /
• 2018

When consulting with senior service user or his or her family members, employees of senior welfare facilities face a vertical relationship due to age rather than a horizontal relationship. Despite few cases reported, service users and the families afflict physical and mental pain on the employees through irrational demands, physical abuses, and verbal abuses. In particular, the Korean society has advocated the notion of respecting elders and thus emphasized members of society to provide unconditional support to those of old age. In reality, however, people who work at senior welfare facilities report the difficulty of providing supports to heavy demands in selfish complaints that are often impossible to fulfill. Starting from May 2018, there has been a petition to the Korean Blue House, seeking protective measures for 'Senior welfare facility professions who are exposed to violence'. The study conduct researches on the effect of job stress on the organizational commitment for senior welfare facility employees from suffering emotional labor. Furthermore, it also aims to point the difficulties that the professions face and the solutions that alleviate the conflicts between the rights of services users of senior welfare facilities and its staffs. The study surveyed 178 staffs who work in senior welfare facilities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province as its research method. The collected data was analyzed by using IBM SPSS Statistics 24.0 to derive the general characteristics of the sample, reliability, feasibility analysis, correlation analysis, and verification of the research hypothesis. The study was able to conclude the following: First, the frequency of emotional expression of senior welfare facility staffs had negative(-) influences on job stress. Second, the incongruity of emotions of senior welfare facility staffs had negative(-) influences on job stress. Third, the incongruity of emotions of senior welfare facility staffs had negative (-) influences on job stress. Fourth, the job stress showed mediating effects between emotional labor factors and organizational commitment

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.31-35
• /
• 2010

This study was designed to evaluate anti-diabetes effect of Helianthus tuberosus extract (HT) in HIT-T15 cells. There were 5 experimental groups according to treatment NC (0 ${\muL/mL$), HT2 (1.1 ${\muL/mL$), HT3 (1.5 ${\muL/mL$), IN2 (1.8 ${\muL/mL$), IN3 (2.5 ${\muL/mL$). Inulin (IN) was used as a positive control for the Helianthus tuberosus extract groups. Cell viability was significantly increased in the HT3 (1.5 ${\muL/mL$), IN2 (1.8 ${\muL/mL$), IN3 (2.5 ${\muL/mL$) groups, compared with the NC group. There was no significant difference in cytotoxicity among all groups. Cell survival by MTT assay with alloxan was significantly increased in the HT2 (1.1 ${\muL/mL$), HT3 (1.5 ${\muL/mL$) groups, compared with the NC group. Insulin secretion and NAD+/NADH ratio were significantly increased in the HT3 group, compared with the NC group. We found that Helianthus tuberosus extract increased cell viability, had a protective effect on $\beta$-cells, and increased insulin secretion level and $NAD^+$/NADH ratio in HIT-T15 cells. These results suggest that Helianthus tuberosus extract improves the diabetes-related factors.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.741-755
• /
• 1995

Currently titanium is the material of choice for implants because of its biological acceptance. This high degree of biocompatibility is thought to result, in part, from the protective and stable oxide layer that presumably aids in the bonding of the extracellular matrix at the implant-tissue interface. Endosseous dental implants are interfaced with bone, connective tissue, and epithelium when implanted into the jaw bone. The soft tissue interface including connective tissue and epithelium is one of the most critical factors in the determination of implant maintenance and prognosis. For maintenance of failing or failed implants, it is essential to treat the implant fixture surface to remove bacterial endotoxins and make a surface tolerated by surrounding soft and hard tissues. In this study, the effect of mechanical treatment on titanium plasma sprayed implant on adhesiveness and proliferation of human gingival fibroblasts and changed surface characteristics were studied. titanium plasma sprayed discs manufactured by Friedrichsfeld company were treated with loaw speed stone bur, a rubber point and a jetpolisher. Its surface components were analyzed with Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to evaluate whether the surface characteristics were altered or not. To observe the spreading pattern of the human gingival fibroblasts which attached to the all specimens author used the scanning electron microscope. The results were as follows : Pure titanium and plasma sprayed titanium, stone polished titanium showed titanium peak and small amout of aluminum, so there was no alteration on surface characteristics. Under the scanning electron microscopic examination in the initial attachment of human gingival fibroblast, there was a slight enhancement in pure titanium, stone polished titanium than plasma sprayed titanium. After 6 hours, the pure titanium and stone polished titanium showed human gingival fibroblasts were elongated and connected with numerous processes. Human gingival fibroblasts were more intimately attached on the pure titanium discs than on the other discs. The human gingival fibroblasts attached on the plasma sprayed titanium by thin and elongated processes. After 24 hours, the human gingival fibroblasts connected with each other via numerous processes and compeletly covered the pure titanium and stone polshed titanium discs. Human gingival fibroblasts had multiple point contacts with more long and thin lamellopodia and showed a little bare surface on plasma sprayed titanium discs.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.73-86
• /
• 2007

Risk-based remediation strategy (RBRS) is a consistent decision-making process for the assessment and response to chemical release based on protecting human health and the environment. The decision-making process described integrates exposure and risk assessment practices with site assessment activities and remedial action selection to ensure that the chosen actions are protective of human health and the environment. The general sequences of events in Tier 1 is as follows: initial site assessment, development of conceptual site model with all exposure pathways, data collection on pollutants and receptors, and identification of risk-based screening level (RBSL). If site conditions do not meet RBSL, it needs further site-specific tier evaluation, Tier 2. In most cases, only limited number of exposure pathways, exposure scenarios, and chemicals of concern are considered the Tier 2 evaluation since many are eliminated from consideration during the Tier 1 evaluation. In spite of uncertainties due to the conservatism applied to risk calculations, limitation in site-specific data collections, and variables affecting the selection of target risk levels and exposure factors, RBRS provides us time- and cost-effectiveness of the remedial action. To ensure reliance of the results, the development team should consider land and resource use, cumulative risks, and additive effects. In addition, it is necessary to develop appropriate site assessment guideline and reliable toxicity assessment method, and to study on site-specific parameters and exposure parameters in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.51 no.6
• /
• pp.536-542
• /
• 2007

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder, involving several organs. Inflammation in the disease is thought to be mediated by cytokines derived from T-helper type 1 (Th1) lymphocytes. Although the exact pathogenesis for BD is not completely understood, it has been suggested that the disease is triggered in genetically susceptible individuals by environmental factors, such as microbial agents. It is noted that multiple genes, including MHC (major histocompatibility complex) and non-MHC genes, are implicated in the pathogenesis of BD. This study tries to determine whether HLA-B51, IL-18, SLC11A1 and TNF-α polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to Behcet's disease in Koreans. As a results, HLA-B51 was a genetic factor with the strongest association with BD. But it is still uncertain whether this HLA molecule is directly involved in the pathogenesis of BD. Although the IL-18 gene polymorphisms were not associated with a susceptibility to BD in the Korean population, the patients carrying the GG genotype at position 137 had a higher risk of developing the ocular lesions. This study suggests that the allele 3 and the genotype allele 3 / allele 3 of 5'-promoter (GT)n polymorphism in the SLC11A1 gene may have a protective effect for the development of BD in the Korean population. There were no evidences for genetic association conferred by the TNF-α gene with respect to susceptibility to BD.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.569-592
• /
• 2018

This study purported to investigate the current state of human rights of older adults residing in rural areas of Korea. The study utilized, as an analytic framework, 4 priority directions (1. "older persons and development", 2. "rural area development", 3. "advancing health and well-being into old age", and 4. "ensuring enabling and supportive environments") with 13 task actions recommended by Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). Furthermore, the study examined gender differences in all items included in the analytic framework. Data was collected by the face-to-face survey on 800 subjects aged 65 and over. Statistical analyses were conducted using STATA 13.0 program. The main results were summarized in order of 4 priority directions as follows. First, average working hours per day were 6.2, and men reportedly participated in economic activities and needed job training more than women, while women participated in lifelong education programs more than men. Awareness of fire and disaster prevention facilities was low in both genders. Second, accessibility to the support center for the elderly living alone as well as protective services for the vulnerable elderly was found to be low. IT-based services and networking were used more by men than women, and specifically, IT-based financial transactions and welfare services were least used. Third, medical check-ups and vaccinations were well received, while consistent treatments for chronic illnesses and long-term care services were relatively less given. In addition, accessibility to mental health service centers was considerably low. Fourth, although old house structures and the lack of convenience facilities were found to be circumstantial risk factors for these elders, experiences of receiving housing support services were scarce. The elderly were found to rely more on informal care, and concerns for their care were higher in women than men. Plus, accessibility to elderly abuse services was markedly low. Based on these results, discussed were implications for implementing policies and practical interventions to raise the levels of the human rights for this population.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.33 no.12
• /
• pp.1036-1045
• /
• 2023

Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by the insidious loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, represents a significant and growing healthcare challenge, impacting the mobility and quality of life of aging populations worldwide. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of soybean leaf extract (SL) for dexamethasone (Dexa)-induced muscle atrophy in vitro and in an in vivo model. In vitro experiments showed that SL significantly alleviated Dexa-induced atrophy in C2C12 myotube cells, as evidenced by preserved myotube morphology, density, and size. Moreover, SL treatment significantly reduced the mRNA and protein levels of muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MuRF1) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx), key factors regulating muscle atrophy. In a Dexa-induced atrophy mouse model, SL administration significantly inhibited Dexa-induced weight loss and muscle wasting, preserving the mass of the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles. Furthermore, mice treated with SL exhibited significant improvements in muscle function compared to their counterparts suffering from Dexa-induced muscle atrophy, as evidenced by a notable increase in grip strength and extended endurance on treadmill tests. Moreover, SL suppressed the expression of muscle atrophy-related proteins in skeletal muscle, highlighting its protective role against Dexa-induced muscle atrophy. These results suggest that SL has potential as a natural treatment for muscle-wasting conditions, such as sarcopenia.