• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.67-86
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• 2017

The emergence of smart devices such as smartphones (e.g., iPhone) and tablets (e.g., iPad) may enhance e-learning by increasing communication and collaborative learning outside the classroom. These devices also facilitate the use of online technologies such as Facebook. However, the adaptation of Learning Management System (LMS) services to mobile devices took longer than social networks or online tools such as Facebook and Twitter have already been long used via smartphone. The main purposes of this study are to explore students' skill levels of LMS (Moodle) and their knowledge of online tools or technologies and then examine if there is a correlation between smartphone use and using of online tools and Moodle in learning. The study conducted among 173 students in the Department of Information Studies (DIS) in Oman, using online survey. The study found that most students demonstrated high levels of accessing course/subject materials and regularly engaging with studies of using LMSs. YouTube, Wikipedia and Facebook were clearly recorded as the most popular sites among students while LinkedIn and Academia.edu were two online tools that had never been heard of by over half of the 142 participants. Emailing and searching are recorded the most popular online learning activities among students. The study concluded that students prefer to use smartphone for accessing these tools rather than using it to access LMSs, while a positive correlation was found between the use of these tools and smartphones, but there was no correlation between smartphones and using LMSs.

• Entomological Research
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.390-399
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• 2018

In order to precisely assess gene expression levels, the suitable internal reference genes must be served to quantify real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) data. For armyworm, Mythimna separata, which reference genes are suitable for assessing the level of transcriptional expression of target genes have yet to be explored. In this study, eight common reference genes, including ${\beta}$-actin (${\beta}$-ACT), 18 s ribosomal (18S), 28S ribosomal (28S), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAPDH), elongation fator-alpha ($EF1{\alpha}$), TATA box binding protein (TBP), ribosomal protein L7 (RPL7), and alpha-tubulin (${\alpha}$-TUB) that in different developmental stages, tissues and insecticide treatments of M. separata were evaluated. To further explore whether these genes were suitable to serve as endogenous controls, three software-based approaches (geNorm, BestKeeper, and NormFinder), the delta Ct method, and one web-based comprehensive tool (RefFinder) were employed to analyze and rank the tested genes. The optimal number of reference genes was determined using the geNorm program, and the suitability of particular reference genes was empirically validated according to normalized HSP70, and MsepCYP321A10 gene expression data. We found that the most suitable reference genes for the different experimental conditions. For developmental stages, 28S/RPL7 were the optimal reference genes, both $RPL7/EF1{\alpha}$ were suitable for experiments of different tissues, whereas for insecticide treatments, $28S/{\alpha}-TUB$ were suitable for normalizations of expression data. In addition, $28S/{\alpha}-TUB$ were the suitable reference genes because they have the most stable expression among different developmental stages, tissues and insecticide treatments. Our work is the first report on reference gene selection in M. separata, and might serve as a precedent for future gene expression studies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권11호
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• pp.4525-4530
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• 2015

Background: The MTHFR C677T polymorphism is a genetic alteration affecting an enzyme involved in folate metabolism, but its relationship to host susceptibility to prostate cancer remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and prostate cancer by performing a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: Pubmed and Web of Science databases were searched for case-control studies investigating the association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and prostate cancer. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were used to assess any link. Results: A total of 22 independent studies were identified, including 10,832 cases and 11,993 controls. Meta-analysis showed that there was no obvious association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and risk of prostate cancer under all five genetic models. There was also no obvious association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and risk of prostate cancer in the subgroup analyses of Caucasians. In contrast, MTHFR C677T polymorphism was associated with increased risk for prostate cancer in Asians with the allele model (C vs G: OR=1.299, 95 %CI =1.121-1.506, P=0.001, $P_{heterogeneity}=0.120$, $I^2=45%$), additive genetic model (CC vs TT: OR =1.925, 95 % CI= 1.340-2.265, P=0.00, $P_{heterogeneity}=0.587$, $I^2=0.00%$), recessive model (CC vs TT+TC: OR= 1.708, 95 % CI=1.233-2.367, P=0.001, $P_{heterogeneity}=0.716$, $I^2=0.00%$), and heterozygote genetic model (CT vs TT: OR=2.193, 95 % CI =1.510-3.186, P=0.000, $P_{heterogeneity}=0.462$, $I^2=0.00%$). Conclusions: These results suggest that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism does not contribute to the risk of prostate cancer from currently available evidence in populations overall and Caucasians. However, the meta analysis indicates that it may play a role in prostate cancer development in Asians.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.22-31
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• 2005

목적 : 전국의 각 병원 방사선종양학과에서 1998년과 1999년도의 2년간 직장암 진단 하에 수술 후 방사선치료를 시행한 환자들의 자료를 분석하여 한국인 직장암 환자의 전체적인 구성과 특성을 파악하고 치료 내용에 대한 현황을 조사하여 국가적인 자료로 활용하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 대상 환자의 기준은 1998년부터 1999년 사이에 직장 선암의 수술 후 방사선치료를 시작한 환자로서 육안적 잔여 병소 없이 근치적으로 수술이 이루어진 환자를 대상으로 했으며 직장암이외의 다른 암의 병력이 있거나 과거에 골반에 방사선치료를 받은 병력이 있는 환자는 제외하였다. 각 병원별 치료환자 수에 비례하여 해당 병원의 입력 환자수를 정한 후 PCS본부의 무작위 추출 과정을 통하여 입력할 환자를 선정하였다. 선정된 환자는 웹 기반 PCS시스템을 이용하여 각 병원에서 직접 자료를 입력하였다. 결과 : 전국의 19개 병원에서 총 309명의 환자 자료가 입력되었다. 남녀 성비는 59 : 41이었으며 하단연 기준 종양의 위치는 항문연 6 cm 이내가 $46\%$로 가장 많았다. 수술 전 CEA검사는 $79\%$에서 시행되었으며 이 중 $43\%$에서 6 ng/ml 이상인 것으로 나타났다 수술 전 직장내초음파검사는 50명($16\%$)에서만 시행되었으며 CT 등을 이용한 임상적 병기판정은 274명에서 가능하였으며 stage II가 $32\%$, III가 $48\%$를 차지하였다. 수술 후 조직소견에 의한 병리학적 병기는 stage II가 $34\%$, III가 $63\%$였다. 수술의 방법은 복회음부절제수술이 $38\%$, 저위전방절제술이 $59\%$였으며, 5명의 환자에서는 원격전이가 있었으나 원발병소와 함께 절제되었다. 절제연에서 종양세포가 발견된 경우가 13예였으며, 수술 후 항암화학치료를 받은 환자는 전체의 $91\%$였고 $80\%$의 환자는 정맥주사, $9\%$의 환자는 경구항암제를 투여한 것으로 나타났다. 항암제는 5FU와 leucovorine의 조합이 212명($69\%$)으로 가장 많았고 시행횟수는 6회가 140예($45\%$)로 가장 많았다. 환자의 치료자세는 복와위자세가 251예($81.2\%$)로 나타났고, 치료 조사야 수는 박스형 4문조사가 75예($24.3\%$)로 가장 많았으며 3문조사(후방-양측방)가 201예($65.0\%$)로 그 뒤를 이었다. 치료 시 소장을 조사야 외부로 이동시키기 위한 장치나 소변을 참는 등의 조치는 $40.1\%$의 환자에서 시행되었다. 선량의 처방점은 회전중심점이 140예($45.3\%$), 등선량곡선이 123예로 비슷하게 나타났다. 실제 치료된 조사선량은 $180\~7,740$cGy의 분포를 보였으며 목표선량의 $90\%$이상이 투여된 경우가 287예($92.9\%$)였다. 결론 : 전국 각 병원들의 환자를 종합하여 관찰된 내용은 문헌상 권장되는 것과 비슷한 결과를 보였으며 수술의 범위와 항암화학치료의 방법은 병원에 따라 비교적 다양한 형태로 시행되고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 각 병원의 방사선치료 내용은 환자의 상태에 따라 결정되는 탓에 방사선량과 조사야의 선택에 있어 차이가 관찰되었으며 처방된 치료에 대한 환자의 순응도는 $90\%$ 이상으로 높게 나타났다.