• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1803-1811
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• 2015

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a novel jack-of-all-trades in cancer. Here we quantify the prognostic impact of this biomarker and assess how consistent is its expression in solid tumors. A comprehensive search strategy was used to search relevant literature updated on October 3, 2014 in PubMed, EMBASE and WEB of Science. Correlations between HDGF expression and clinicopathological features or cancer prognosis was analyzed. All pooled HRs or ORs were derived from random-effects models. Twenty-six studies, primarily in Eastern Asia, covering 2,803 patients were included in the analysis, all of them published during the past decade. We found that HDGF overexpression was significantly associated with overall survival (OS) ($HR_{OS}=2.35$, 95%CI=2.04-2.71, p<0.001) and disease free survival (DFS) ($HR_{DFS}=2.25$, 95%CI =1.81-2.79, p<0.001) in solid tumors, especially in non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Moreover, multivariate survival analysis showed that HDGF overexpression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis ($HR_{OS}=2.41$, 95%CI: 2.02-2.81, p<0.001; $HR_{DFS}=2.39$, 95%CI: 1.77-3.24, p<0.001). In addition, HDGF overexpression was significantly associated with tumor category (T3-4 versus T1-2, OR=2.12, 95%CI: 1.17-3.83, p=0.013) and lymph node status (N+ versus N-, OR=2.37, 95%CI: 1.31-4.29, p=0.03) in CCA. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the literature available on the association of HDGF overexpression with OS, DFS and some clinicopathological features in solid tumors. Meta-analysis results provide evidence that HDGF may be a new indicator of poor cancer prognosis. Considering the limitations of the eligible studies, other large-scale prospective trials must be conducted to clarify the prognostic value of HDGF in predicting cancer survival.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.102-110
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• 2020

Background: There is an opinion that improper postures of the head and cervical spine are associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMDs). Objects: The aim of this study was to investigate the proportions among the cervical kyphotic angle, physical symptoms including the pain intensity level of the TMJ, and severity of TMD disability in patients diagnosed with TMD. Methods: Sixty-two subjects participated in the study. The evaluation tools included measurements of the cervical kyphotic angle based on the Ishihara index, pressure pain threshold (PPT) on the TMJ, maximal mouth opening (MMO) without pain, current pain intensity level of the TMJ measured using the Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale (QVAS), Korean TMD (KTMD) disability index, KTMD Symptom Frequency/Intensity Scales (SFS/SIS), and Korean Headache Impact Test-6. Correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the correlations between the cervical kyphotic angle and parameters related to TMJ symptoms. Results: Variables that were significantly correlated with the cervical kyphotic angle were the PPT around the TMJ (r = 0.259, p < 0.05), current pain intensity level of the TMJ based on the QVAS (r = -0.601, p< 0.01), and usual pain intensity level based on the SIS (r = -0.379, p < 0.01). The level of TMD functional disability was significantly correlated with the degree of headache (r = 0.551, p < 0.01), level of PPT of the TMJ (r = -0.383, p < 0.01), pain-free MMO (r = -0.515, p < 0.01), pain intensity level of the TMJ based on the QVAS (r = 0.393, p < 0.01), TMD symptom frequency (r = 0.739, p < 0.01), usual pain intensity of the TMJ (r = 0.624, p < 0.01), and most severe pain intensity of the TMJ (r = 0.757, p < 0.01). Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between the cervical kyphotic angle and PPT and a negative correlation between the current and usual pain intensity levels of the TMJ. The cervical kyphotic angle was a predictor of the pain level, tenderness threshold, and intensity of pain in the TMJ.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.643-661
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• 2015

Korea Teachers Pension (private school pension) is a mandatory pension and a social security system for private school teachers to ensure the stability of subscribers by a supplying pension when they (and their dependents) face future economic risk due to retirement or death. Therefore, the Teachers Pension must provide stability and sustainability in regards to adequacy of income and to function as a pension. However, the Government Employees Pension System (GEPS) of Korea (the most representative special occupation pension) recorded a fiscal deficit in 2001 and with an accumulated deficit that is expected to grow; subsequently, various plans for the reform of GEPS have been actively discussed. The Korea Teachers Pension system is based on the GEPS scheme and is not free from the GEPS discussions on reforms of national pension. The current system for the Teachers Pension needs to be improved because it is expected to be depleted within the next 30 years due to low fertility and an aging population in Korea. This study discusses existing Teachers Pension schemes problems and suggests a projection method and revised plans to improve it. We use long-term financial projections of the Teachers Pension to estimate the fund exhaustion point and the minus balance of the financial scale as well as analyze the supply-demand burden structure that reflects the future population structure to propose Teachers Pension reforms that will improve stability and adequacy.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.693-703
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• 1999

Since they were introduced by Ward in 1923, periodontal dressing have been routinely used following the periodontal surgery to avoid pain, infection, desensitizing teeth, inhibiting food impaction of the surgical areas, and immobilizing injured areas. Recently, however, the value of periodontal dressings and their effects on periodontal wound healing have been questioned, several authors have been reported that the use of dressing has little influence on healing following periodontal surgical procedures. In addition, there is evidence that when good flap adaptation is achieved, the use of a periodontal dressing does not add to patient comfort nor promote healing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient postoperative pain experience and discomfort with and without the use of periodontal dressing following periodontal surgery. Twenty-eight patients, 11 male and 17 female. were selected for this study; The age range was 31 to 56, with an average of 40.2years. Patient selection was based on existence of two bilateral sites presenting similar periodontal involvement, as determined by clinical and radiographic assessment, and requiring comparable bilateral surgical procedures. Using a splitmouth dressing. one site received a periodontal dressing while the other site did not. Pain assessment was made according to a horizontal, rating scale(0-10). After at least a two-week period, the second surgical precedure was performed using the alternate postoperative treatment. At the conclusion of the trial, a self-administered questionnaire on postoperative experience was administered, and were asked of their preference of either, dressed or undressed. The results were as follows: 1. A similar trend for mean pain and discomfort scores as assessed by patients both dressed and salinetreated procedures was evident during 7-day postsurgical period. 2. Statistical analysis of differences between the dressed side and salinetreated side with respect to pain, discomfort and patient's experiences revealed that both treatment sides behaved similarly at any postoperative day(P>0.05). 3. Considering the patient's preference, on the basis of pain and discomfort experienced, 43% preferred the saline-mouthwash and 32% preferred the dressing, 25% showing no preference for either the dressing or the saline-mouthwash. There is evidence to support the use of a periodontal dressing in retention of an apically positioned flap by preventing coronal displacement, or its use to provide additional support to stabilize a free gingival graft. However, there will always be a use for periodontal dressing although routine use of dressings may decrease because of better surgical techniques and the use of antibacterial mouth rinses.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2009

As consumption of kimchi has increased, factories have begun to produce this traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish on a large scale. Following the rise in manufacturing, the hygienic conditions under which commercial kimchi is being made have become an issue. We isolated 17 coliform bacteria from commercial kimchi that had not been fully fermented. These bacteria were partially identified as one of seven different species from three genera by 16S rDNA sequence analysis as follows: Enterobacter intermedius, Ent. cloacae, Ent. amnigenus, Klebsiella terrigena, K. ornithinolytica, K. oxytoca, and Hafnia alvei. Lactobacillus paraplantarum KNUC25 has been isolated from over-fermented Chinese cabbage kimchi and its antimicrobial activity reported in the literature. In our study, the KNUC25 strain showed antibacterial activity against isolated coliform bacteria and some pathogenic coliform bacteria through spot-on-the-lawn tests and viable cell tests. Through development and use of a cell-free supernatant of L. paraplantarum KNUC25, we effectively controlled coliform bacteria in commercial kimchi.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.419-443
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• 2007

Recently, the branch-out of foreign companies into domestic markets through M&A and the opened followed by the Free Trade Agreement(FTA) with America have made the environmental site assessments of specific site more necessary. In this study, through case study of conducting actual environmental site assessment by use of a toolbox approach at a large scale of chemical plant with various contaminants located in a coastal area, the problems of guideline of domestic environmental assessment of soil were complemented. And an efficient and economical assessment was achieved. All six steps such as basic investigation, environmental site history survey, sampling and analysis, installation of monitoring wells and hydrogeological survey, and data interpretation were conducted in this study. All results of document survey, geological lineament analysis, field geology survey of surrounding area, geophysical prospecting of the site, hydraulic conductivity, measurement of groundwater flow rate and direction, sampling and analysis at each step were associated and estimated as an integrated tool box approach. As a consequence of this study, toolbox approaches were very useful techniques for contamination level and site characterization of subsurface media. The given conditions to conduct a basic survey for domestic soil environment assessment of site by use of existing documents, as well as interviews with the owner/manager/user of all adjacent properties and thorough review of all practically reviewable records pertaining to the property and surrounding properties within "Guideline for Soil Environment Assessment" radii are very poor. As a result, the application of toolbox approach in the environment site assessment of site is not only more efficient and economical, but also could be very useful assessment to integrate the soil and groundwater contamination.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1268-1273
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• 2011

The present study was conducted to determine a feasible method of protein concentrate extraction from rice bran (RBPC) and its effect as a substitution for skim milk in early weaning pig diets. An investigation to extract protein concentrate from full fat rice bran was undertaken to determine the best ratio of water and rice bran, the amount of NaOH and a HCl solvent to use in a simple paddle-type mixer with modified spinning to produce RBPC. The results stated that the best ratio for water mixing in the RBPC extraction process was 1:5 with 20 g NaOH and 30 min in a paddle-type mixer at 300 rpm. A mix of 250 ml 0.2 N HCl was optimum for neutralization and protein precipitation. After the fluid was spun out with a washing machine, the sediment was left for 12-14 hours to complete the filtration. One kilogram of rice bran could produce an average of 324.5 gram RBPC and it contained 3.40% ash, 496.48 kcal of GE/100 gram, 1.94% crude fiber, 28.20% ether extract, 7.64% moisture and 16.66% crude protein, respectively. A total of 45 crossbred piglets, weaned at 3 weeks of age were allotted into control diet (A) and dietary treatments formulated with a four different rates of RBPC substitution for skim milk at a percentage of 25 (B), 50 (C), 77 (D) and 100 (E) respectively, in a randomized complete block (RCB) design. All piglets had free access to feed and water until 8 week of age when the experiment ended. Feed intake, average daily gain, growth rate and feed efficiency were not affected by dietary treatments. Blood test parameters after completion of the growth trial indicated normal health. Even though the mean of cell hemoglobin concentration was significantly different between treatments (p<0.05) it was still within the normal range. The cost difference for BW gain of 100% RBPC substituted for skim milk in the weaning diet was approximately 35% lower than that of the control and the relative cost of production was 96.67, 92.85, 70.75 and 64.48% lower for the replacement of 25, 50, 75 and 100% of skim milk respectively. These results implied that this technology is feasible for use by small scale farmers to improve their self-reliance.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2016

Background: In this article, it was analyzed how snow melting affects the assembly of lichen and moss communities in a small area of the coastal region of Barton Peninsula, which is in maritime Antarctic. In the small area, even though there is a huge gap of difference of the environment between the snow-filled area and snow-melt one, the latter did not have distinctive environmental gradients. Results: Depending on the snow melting time, coverage and species diversity of lichens and mosses tend to increase remarkably. For species with significant changes depending on the snow-covered period, there are Andreaea regularis, crustose lichens, Placopsis contortuplicata, Usnea aurantiaco-atra, and snow algae. In this area, the process of vegetation assembly process has shown the directional development in the order of snow algae${\rightarrow}$crustose, lichen sub-formation${\rightarrow}$fruticose lichen, moss cushion sub-formation (Andreaea sociation)${\rightarrow}$fruticose lichen, and moss cushion sub-formation (Usnea sociation), according to the order of snow melting. These directional development stages are shown in gradual change in small area with the snow melting phenomena. However, in the snow-free area, where water is sufficiently supplied, it is expected that moss carpet sub-formation (Sanionia sociation) will be developed. Vegetation development in the small area with the snow melting phenomena, depending on differences of resistance on snow kill and moisture settled by species in according to the time of snow melting, tolerance model to form community is followed. Conclusions: The research results explain the development of vegetation in the Antarctic tundra and its spatial distribution according to the period for growth of lichens and mosses in the summer time by differences of snow melting in the small area. In the future, if research for the community development process in a large scale will be done, it will be helpful to figure out temporal and spatial dynamic of vegetation in the Antarctic tundra where snow and glaciers melt rapidly due to climatic warming.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.2712-2716
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• 2011

The development of mobile phone is growing everyday according to the change of our age. Most of all, the birth of smart phone has gotten lots of attentions. The Smart Phone has not only nalogue functions for calling and receiving but also has many multiple-service functions satisfying the contemporary digital needs. Due to the smart phone, people could access to various and plenty information simply by touching it. It was Sep. 2011 that the number of smart phone users began to be more than 15,000,000. That number stands for the turning point of digital revolution. In Korea, both of "Omnia" from Samsung and "i-phone" from Apple came into the market near the end of 2009. That time was so called the full-scale first smart-phone war, and thinking of the time, it could be named as the explosive growth of smart phones. We can predict that the smart phone will influence the real life of human beings not only the mobile phone market. In this way, the smart phone has come deeply into our life day by day. For instance, more people can be able to get the informations of their trip for their leisure and free weekends through the smart phone. Thus, our study, began with the theme of "Korean islands trip", will start in the relationship with the Application-Services, "Islands" utilizing web-pictures.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.628-634
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• 2012

Release of veterinary antibiotics (VSs) to agricultural environment through application of animal manure and/or animal manure-based composts to soils is of concern. The current study was conducted to examine decline of VAs during composting the chicken manure. For this, antibiotics free chicken manure (20 kg) and sawdust (10 kg) were added to the bench-scale composting apparatus and then the mixed material was spiked simultaneously with three VAs (chlortetracycline, CTC; sulfamethazine, SMZ; tylosin, TYL) at two different levels (10 and $20mg\;kg^{-1}$). Then the decline of VAs was determined using Charm II system during 53 composting period. For comparison, composting only chicken manure was included at VAs concentration of $10mg\;kg^{-1}$. During composting, the concentration of all three different VAs declined below the prospective guideline values ($0.8mg\;kg^{-1}$ for CTC, $0.2mg\;kg^{-1}$ for SMZ, and $1.0mg\;kg^{-1}$ for TYL) except CTC at $20mg\;kg^{-1}$ spiking when the chicken manure was composted together with sawdust. Interestingly, CTC at $10mg\;kg^{-1}$ spiking appeared to be declined under the guideline value without sawdust while SMZ was resistant to be declined without sawdust. Unlike CTC and SMZ, TYL showed immediate decline right after spiking TYL to composting materials regardless the spiking concentration and existence of sawdust. Appropriate composting procedure of chicken manure was able to decline the residual VAs in the manure below the prospective guideline value and the importance of organic substances on this decline was perceived.