• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.485-488
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• 2013

The performance values of available techniques used in serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis are satisfactory but they raise problems of equivocal and discordant results for very low IgG titers. Recently marketed, LDBio-Toxo II IgG Western blot (IB) showed an excellent correlation with the dye test. We estimated the proportion of equivocal and discordant results between the enzyme immunoassay Platelia Toxo IgG (EIA-IgG) and fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and assessed the usefulness of the IB as a confirmatory test. Out of 2,136 sera collected from pregnant women, 1,644 (77.0%) tested unequivocally positive and 407 (19.0%) were negative in both EIA-IgG and FAT. The remaining 85 (4%) sera showed equivocal or discordant results. Among them, 73 (85.9%) were positive and 12 (14.1%) were negative in IB. Forty-one (89.1%) equivocal sera in EIA-IgG and 46 (86.8%) equivocal sera in FAT were positive in IB. Reducing the cut-off values of both screening techniques improved significantly their sensitivity in detecting very low IgG titers at the expense of their specificity. In conclusion, equivocal results in routine-used techniques and their discordance in determination of the immune status in pregnancy women were not uncommon. IB test appeard to be highly useful in these situations as a confirmatory technique.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.535-541
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• 2020

The keystone design perforator island flap can be utilized in the repair of trunk defects. A systematic review was carried out to identify the complication rates of the use of this flap to treat such defects. The MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed Central databases were searched for articles published between January 2003 and December 2018 that reported the use of keystone design perforator island flaps in the repair of trunk defects. Study selection was conducted in alignment with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Eight articles involving a total of 54 flaps satisfied the inclusion criteria. The most frequently reported cause of trunk defects was oncologic resection (64.4%). The overall complication rate was 35.2%, and complications included infection (11.1%), wound dehiscence (7.4%), delayed healing (7.4%), and partial flap loss (1.9%). The keystone design perforator island flap is associated with a high success rate and low technical complexity. Despite minor complications, keystone design flaps could be a preferred choice for trunk reconstruction.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.18-32
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• 2009

The goal of this study was to predict the health outcomes of lung cancer surgery based on the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). An attempt was likewise made to assess the prognostic value of such data for predicting mortality, survival rate, and length of hospital stay. A medical-record review of 389 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer was performed. To evaluate the agreement, the kappa coefficient was tested. Logistic-regression analysis was also conducted within two years after the surgery to determine the association of CCI with death. Survival and multiple-regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between CCI and the hospital care outcomes within two-year survival after lung cancer surgery and the length of hospital stay. The results of the study showed that CCI is a valid prognostic indicator of two-year mortality and length of hospital stay, and that it shows the health outcomes, such as death, survival rate, and length of hospital stay, after the surgery, thus enabling the development and application of the methodology using a systematic and objective scale for the results.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4983-4988
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• 2012

The xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C gene (XPC) has been identified as important for repairing UV-related DNA damage. Some subtle changes in this gene may impair repair efficiency and influence susceptibility to human cancers, including skin cancer. Two polymorphisms in XPC, 939A>C (rs2228001) and 499C>T (rs2228000), are considered to have possible associations with the risk of skin cancer, but the reported results have been inconsistent. Here we performed a meta-analysis of the available evidence regarding the relationship between these two polymorphisms and the risk of skin cancer. All relevant studies were searched using PubMed, Embase and Web of Science before February 2012. A total of 8 case-control studies were included in this analysis, and no convincing associations between the two polymorphisms and risk of skin cancer were observed in any of the genetic models. Stratified analyses by skin cancer type also did not detect significant associations in any subgroup. This meta-analysis suggested that the XPC 939A>C and 499C>T polymorphisms may have little involvement in susceptibility to skin cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2157-2162
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• 2012

Objective: The PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway has been implicated in resistance to cisplatin. In the current study, we determined whether common genetic variations in this pathway are associated with platinum-based chemotherapy response and clinical outcome in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: Seven common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in core genes of this pathway were genotyped in 199 patients and analyzed for associations with chemotherapy response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Logistic regression analysis revealed an association between AKT1 rs2494752 and response to treatment. Patients carrying heterozygous AG had an increased risk of disease progression after two cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy compared to those with AA genotype (Adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-4.77, which remained significant in the stratified analyses). However, log-rank test and cox regression detected no association between these polymorphisms in the PI3K pathway genes and survival in advanced NSCLC patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that genetic variants in the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway may predict platinum-based chemotherapy response in advanced NSCLC patients in a Chinese population.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.44-60
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• 2010

This research, which is designed to introduce the concept of the WHO's health promoting hospital project to Korea, was conducted in a total of 34 local hospitals across the nation. To evaluate the level of health promotion at hospitals, an evaluation index for health promoting hospital environments was made using the Analytic Hierarchy Process Decision-Making Method, from which a total of 20 questions were developed in the five areas of no-smoking, moderation in drink, exercise, nutrition and rest in Korea. Through this analysis, it was found that local hospitals across the nation were on average excellent in terms of their no-smoking environments, but poor in their rest and moderation in drink environments. A comparison of local public hospital environments by region showed that Busan, Daegu, and South Gyeongsang Province were good, while South Chungcheng Province, Jeju Province and Gwangwon Province were poor. In terms of the number of beds, mid-size local hospitals (200-299 beds) came first. This research revealed that local hospitals across the nation had different health promotion environments according to area and size, and in particular, their environments for rest and moderation in drink turned out to be lacking, which vividly showed that these areas desperately needed to be supplemented in order to introduce the concept of health promotion at hospitals in Korea.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.10 no.2 s.23
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• pp.47-55
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• 2007

Objectives : To verify pain relief effects and allergy inhibitory action for the osteoarthritis of the knee joint in Sweet Bee Venom in which allergy causing enzyme is removed. Methods : We randomly allocated 36 participants to treatment group Sweet Bee Venom and Bee Venom. Outcomes on pain reduction were measured by 100mm VAS(Visual Analog Scale). And we recorded into details allergic responses during Pharmacopuncture treatment. Results : Whole body condition and pain rate through VAS measurement were improved significantly in 2 weeks. We could get difference in pain score of two Pharmacopuncture groups significantly in 2 weeks. BV group showed superior reduction in pain compared to the Sweet BV group. But we could not get difference in whole score of two pharmacopuncture groups significantly. On the other hand other allergic responses such as edema, itchiness, pain were significantly lower in the Sweet BV group.

• Journal of Menopausal Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was aimed to establish the most effective premature ovarian failure (POF) mouse model using Cyclophosphamide (CTX), busulfan (Bu), and cisplatin considering treatment duration of anticancer drugs and natural recovery time. Methods: POF was induced by intraperitoneally injecting CTX (120 mg/kg)/Bu (12 mg/kg) for 1 to 4 weeks or cisplatin (2 mg/kg) for 3 to 14 days to C57BL/6 female mice aged 6 to 8 weeks. Controls were injected with equal volume of saline for the same periods. Body weight was measured every week, and ovarian and uterine weights were measured after the last injection of anticancer drug. To assess ovarian function, POF-induced mice were superovulated with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin, and then mated with male. After 18 hours, zygotes were retrieved and cultured for 4 days. Finally, the mice were left untreated for a period of times after the final injection of anticancer drug, and the time for natural recovery of ovarian function was evaluated. Results: After 2 weeks of CTX/Bu injection, ovarian and uterine weights, and ovarian function were decreased sharply. Cisplatin treatment for 10 days resulted in a significant decrease in ovarian and uterine weight, and ovarian function. When POF was induced for at least 2 weeks for CTX/Bu and for at least 10 days for cisplatin, ovarian function did not recover naturally for 2 weeks and 1 week, respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that CTX/Bu should be treated for at least 2 weeks and cisplatin for at least 10 days to establish the most effective primary ovarian insufficiency mouse model.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Oncology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2018

Purpose: We analyzed our 10-year experience in a single-center, public hospital and thereby evaluated the changing trends of clinico-pathologic and surgical characteristics as well as treatment outcomes in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: The current single-center, retrospective study was conducted with patients who had been treated at department of our medical institution during a period ranging from March 1, 2007 to June 16, 2018. The eligible patients were divided into two groups: group I (March 2007-April 2012) and II (May 2012-June 2018). Then, we compared time-dependent changes in clinico-pathologic characteristics between the two groups. Results: The mean age was $63.0{\pm}11.3$ years in group I and $65.8{\pm}10.5$ years in group II, respectively (P=0.017). The American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) score was 34.9% for 1 point, 38.3% for 2 points, and 26.9% for 3 points or more in group I, and 31.1% for 1 point, 52.5% for 2 points, and 16.4% for 3 points or more in group II, which was statistically significant (P=0.012). The average follow-up duration was significantly different between the two group ($39.8{\pm}39.7$ vs. $23.4{\pm}20.6$) (P<0.001). The duration of postoperative hospital stay was 1.8 days longer in group II than group I (P=0.047). Tumor depth, node metastasis and distant metastasis were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.001, P=0.009, and P=0.019, respectively). Conclusion: There were significant differences in the age, ASA score, average follow-up duration, postoperative hospital stay, tumor depth, node metastasis and distant metastasis between the two groups.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.65-80
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• 2018

Purposes: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between empowerment, job satisfaction and organizational commitment of the general hospital administrative staff working for customer interaction department. Methodology: For this purpose, this study sampled 260 administrative staff working for the general hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. A total of 260 questionnaires were distributed to them, and 229 ones responded to the survey, which had been conducted from Mar. 9, through Mar. 30, 2018. 211 responses were used for the final analysis. The data collected were processed using the SPSS 18.0K for descriptive statistics, T-test, ANOVA and regression analysis. Findings: The results of this study can be summed up as follows. The empowerment of the subjects scored 3.73 on average on the 5-point scale. To be specific, the sub-factor 'meaning' scored the highest or 4.01, while the sub-factor 'impact' was lowest. Subjects' job satisfaction scored 3.37 and their organizational commitment scored 3.54 both on the 5-point scales. Practical Implications: Meaning and self determination of empowerment positively related to subjects' job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and particularly, meaning of empowerment was more strongly related. Hence, it is required of the general hospitals to operate a customized competence build-up program and educational courses on a continual basis. Besides, it would also be important to create a working environment wherein the administrative staff can demonstrate their deliberation, autonomy and independent services.