• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.4089-4093
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the association of ${\beta}-catenin$ expression pattern with pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer (BC) patients. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective exploratory study, data for 50 BC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were recorded. ${\beta}-catenin$ expression in tumours was assessed using immunohistochemistry and classified as either membranous or cytoplasmic according to the pattern of staining. Distributions of different clinico-pathological parameters according to ${\beta}-catenin$ expression were assessed using the Chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess any relation of the pattern of ${\beta}-catenin$ expression with the pathological response. Results: Cytoplasmic ${\beta}-catenin$ expression was detected in 34% of BCs. Among our cases, 52% were hormonal receptor (HR)-positive, 24% were HER2-positive, 74% were clinical stage III and 74% received both anthracycline and taxane-based chemotherapy. Patients with cytoplasmic expression were more commonly younger than 40 years at diagnosis (cytoplasmic, 41.2% vs. no cytoplasmic expression, 12.1%, p=0.03). By doing t-test, cytoplasmic ${\beta}-catenin$ expression was linked with a higher body mass index compared to membranous-only expression ($mean{\pm}SD$ $33.0{\pm}4.47$ vs. $29.6{\pm}6.01$, respectively, p=0.046). No significant associations were found between ${\beta}-catenin$ expression and other parameters such as HR and HER2 status, or clinical stage. Complete pathological response (pCR) rate was twice as great in patients with membranous expression but without statistical significance (membranous-only, 33.3% vs. cytoplasmic, 17.6%, OR= 2.3, 95% CI= 0.55-9.87, p=0.24). Conclusions: This study suggests that cytoplasmic ${\beta}-catenin$ expression may be linked with lower probability of achieving pCR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. These data need to be validated in a larger cohort of patients.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2016

This study is focused on the evaluation of growth parameters, total polyphenol content (TPC), chlorophyll content as well as the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity of young barley seedling (YBS) affected by elicitation. Salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MJ), amino acid liquid fertilizer (ALF) and microbial metabolism activator (MMA) were used. Elicitation was conducted for two times and various concentrations were used in this study. The result revealed that, MJ 1 ml/L treated-YBS gave the longest seedling length of 1.33 cm, followed by the ones treated with SA 1.38 mg/L and ALF 2 ml/L, respectively. ALF 3 ml/L treatment gave the highest fresh weight of 10 seedlings, followed by MJ 5 ml/L and SA 13.8 mg/L treatment with 1.56 g, 1.55 g and 1.53 g respectively. SA 138.12 mg/L elicitor treated-YBS gave the highest Chl a, Chl b content of $8.57{\mu}g/mg$ and $3.83{\mu}g/mg$, respectively while the highest carotenoid content was found in MJ ml/L treatment with $1.62{\mu}g/mg$. Among elicitor treated-YBS, SA showed better TPC. The highest TPC was found in SA 1.38 mg/L treatment with 18.82 mg/g TAE. Likewise, SA 1.38 mg/L showed the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity among all the treatments. However, the lowest TPC was found in ALF 1ml/L treated-YBS with 9.46 mg/g TAE, which was even lower than the control (14.31 mg/g TAE).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2014

Background: Solid cancers with bone marrow metastases are rare but lethal. This study aimed to identify clinical factors predictive of survival in adult patients with solid cancers and bone marrow metastases. Methods: A total of 83 patients were enrolled consecutively between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2012. Bone marrow metastases were confirmed by biopsies. Patient clinical features and laboratory data were analyzed for associations. Results: The median age of the patients was 54 years (range, 23-88 years), and 58% were male. The 3 most common primary tumor locations were the stomach (32 patients, 39%), prostate (16 patients, 19%), and lungs (12 patients, 15%). The median overall survival was 49 days (range, 3-1423 days). Patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 1, cancers of prostate origin, platelet counts over 50,000/ml, and undergoing antitumor therapies had a significantly better prognosis in the multivariate analysis. The median survival times were 173 and 33 days for patients with 2-3 more favorable parameters (n=24) and those with 0-1 (n=69), respectively (hazard ratio 0.30; 95% CI 0.17-0.52, p<0.001). Conclusions: Solid cancers with bone marrow metastases are dismal and incurable diseases. Understanding prognostic factors to these diseases helps medical personnel to provide appropriate treatments and better inform patients about outcomes. Antitumor therapies may improve outcomes in selected patient cohorts.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2005

Purpose: Some controversies exist over the prognostic values of lymphatic, venous, and neural invasion in patients with gastric cancer. This study was conducted to confirm the prognostic values of these histopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: Data for clinicopathologic factors and clinical outcomes were collected retrospectively from the medical records of 1,018 gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy at Yeungnam University Medical Center between January 1995 and December 1999. A statistical analysis was done using the SPSS program for Windows (Version 10.0, SPSS Inc., USA). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival analysis. Prognostic factors were analyzed by using a multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: Ages ranged from 21 to 79 (median age, 56). A univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, location, gross type, depth of invasion, extent of gastrectomy or lymph node dissection, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, neural invasion, pathologic stage, histologic type, and curability of surgery had statistical significance. Among these factors, lymph node metastasis, curability of surgery, neural invasion, lymphatic invasion, and depth of invasion were found to be independent prognostic factors by using a multivariate analysis. Venous invasion showed no prognostic value in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Neural invasion and lymphatic invasion are useful parameters in determining a prognosis for gastric cancer patients.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.118-124
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• 2020

Background: The poultry industry in Pakistan has flourished since the 1960s; however, there are scarce data regarding the impact of occupational exposure on the pulmonary health of farm workers in terms of years working in the industry. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of poultry environment on the health of occupationally exposed poultry farmers in countries of warm climatic regions, such as Pakistan. This study will also show the effect of exposure to poultry facilities on the health of poultry farmers in the context of low-income countries with a relatively inadequate occupational exposure risk management. Materials and methods: The lung function capacity of 79 poultry workers was measured using a spirometer. Along with spirometry, a structured questionnaire was also administrated to obtain information about age, height, weight, smokers/nonsmokers, years of working experience, and pulmonary health of farm workers. The workers who were directly involved in the care and handling of birds in these intensive facilities were considered and divided into four groups based on their years of working experience: Group I (3-10 months), Group II (1-5 years), Group III (6-10 years), and Group IV (more than 11 years). The forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the FEV1/FVC ratio were considered to identify lung function abnormalities. Statistical analysis was carried out using independent sample t test, Chi-square test, Pearson's correlation, and linear regression. Results: Based on the performed spirometry, 68 (86 %) of workers were found normal and healthy, whereas 11 (14 %) had a mild obstruction. Of the 11 workers with mild obstruction, the highest number with respect to the total was in Group IV (more than 11 years of working experience) followed by Group III and Group II. Most of the workers were found healthy, which seems to be because of the healthy survivor effect. For the independent sample t test, a significant difference was noticed between healthy and nonhealthy farmers, whereas Chi-square test showed a significant association with height, drugs, and working experience. Linear regression that was stratified by respiratory symptoms showed for workers with symptoms, regression models for all spirometric parameters (FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC) have better predictive power or R square value than those of workers without symptoms. Conclusion: These findings suggest that lung function capacity was directly related to years of working experience. With increasing number of working years, symptoms of various respiratory problems enhanced in the poultry workers. It should be noted that most of the poultry workers were healthy and young, the rationale being that there is a high turnover rate in this profession. The mobility in this job and our finding of 86% of the healthy workers in the present study also proposed healthy worker survivor effect.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.279-284
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• 2011

Purpose: To describe the profile of chronic and aggressive periodontitis among Senegalese (West Africans) attending the Institute of Dentistry of Dakar. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with an inclusion period running from 2001 to 2008. The sample included 413 chronic periodontitis and 151 aggressive periodontitis cases, among them 299 males and 265 females selected from 2,274 records. A Student's independent t-test or Pearson chi-squared test was used for data analysis. Results: The proportion of females with aggressive periodontitis was significantly higher than those with chronic periodontitis (64.9% vs. 40.4%, P<0.001). The aggressive periodontitis patients had an average age of $28.1{\pm}8.9$ years, and had lost less than 3 teeth. Less than a third of them reported using a toothbrush. Attachment loss was as high as 8 mm and severe lesions had spread to an average of 12 teeth with maximum alveolar bone loss up to 80%. The chronic periodontitis patients had an average age of $44.9{\pm}14.0$ and had lost on average less than 3 teeth. Nearly 75% used a toothbrush. Attachment loss was significantly higher and lesions were more extensive in the aggressive periodontitis. Chronic periodontitis is associated with risk factors such as smoking or diabetes mellitus in 12.8% versus 0.7% in aggressive periodontitis (P<0.001). Differences between the two groups for most clinical and radiographic parameters were statistically significant. Conclusions: The profile of aggressive periodontist is characterized by more severe lesions than chronic periodontitis, whereas tooth loss experience is similar in both forms.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.64-68
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• 2005

This investigation was undertaken to study the effects of oral administration of Inonotus obliquus mycelia produced by a submerged culture on plasma glucose level and other biochemical parameters in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The mycelia, at the dose of 200 mg/kg body weight (BW), substantially reduced the plasma glucose level by as much as 23.1% as compared to the control group. The levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in plasma were reduced to the extent of 12.6% and 22.6%, respectively. The activities of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were decreased by 27.6% and 21.9%, respectively, under the influence of I. obliquus mycelia. The general components of I. obliquus mycelia were found to contain 5.55% crude ash, 2.35% crude fat, 28.29% crude protein, 9.53% carbohydrate, and 54.28% dietary fiber.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.667-673
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• 2009

The electrocatalytic characteristics of oxygen reduction reaction of the $PtxM_{(1-x)}$ (M = Co, Cu, Ni) supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have been evaluated in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). The $Pt_xM_{(1-x)}$/MWNTs catalysts with a Pt : M atomic ratio of about 3 : 1 were synthesized and applied to the cathode of PEMFC. The crystalline structure and morphology images of the $Pt_xM_{(1-x)}$ particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The results showed that the crystalline structure of the Pt alloy particles in Pt/MWNTs and $Pt_xM_{(1-x)}$/MWNTs catalysts are seen as FCC, and synthesized $Pt_xM_{(1-x)}$ crystals have lattice parameters smaller than the pure Pt crystal. According to the electrochemical surface area (ESA) calculated with cyclic voltammetry analysis, $Pt_{0.77}Co_{0.23}$/MWNTs catalyst has higher ESA than the other catalysts. The evaluation of a unit cell test using Pt/MWNTs or $Pt_xM_{(1-x)}$/MWNTs as the cathode catalysts demonstrated higher cell performance than did a commercial Pt/C catalyst. Among the MWNTs-supported Pt and $Pt_xM_{(1-x)}$ (M = Co, Cu, Ni) catalysts, the $Pt_{0.77}Co_{0.23}$/MWNTs shows the highest performance with the cathode catalyst of PEMFC because they had the largest ESA.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2008

Internal and external reproductive parameters of the striped bitterling, Acheilognathus yamatsutae were compared. Internal reproductive parameters was used gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and gonadal development stage. External reproductive parameters was used ovipositor in female and pearl organ, dorsal and caudal fin nuptial color in male. The GSI and HSI of the female and male showed highest in February. Gonadal development was observed mainly ripe and spawning/spent stage in February to May. The ovipositor length index (OLI) of the female showed highest in March to April. Pearl organ number and expression rate of the male showed highest in February to May. Dorsal fin nuptial color expression rate and index (NCI-DF) showed highest in February to May. Caudal fin nuptial color expression rate and index(NCI-CF) showed highest in February to April. The study suggested same change of internal and external reproductive parameters in female and male.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.107-125
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• 2001

This study was designed to construct a structural model for quality of life of chronic gastric disease. The hypothetical model was developed based on the literature review and Pender's health promotion model. Data were collected by questionnaires from 459 patients with chronic gastric disease in a General Hospital from July 1999 to August 2000 in Seoul. Data analysis was done with SAS 6.12 for descriptive statistics and PC-LISREL 8.13 Program for Covariance structural analysis. The results are as follows : 1. The fit of the hypothetical model to the data was moderate, thus it was modified by excluding 1 path and including free parameters and 2 path to it. The modified model with path showed a good fitness to the empirical data ($\chi$2=934.87, p<.0001, GFI=0.88, AGFI=0.83, NNFI=0.86, RMSR =0.02, RMSEA=0.07). 2. The perceived barrier, health promoting behavior, self-efficacy, and self-esteem were found to have significant direct effects on the quality of life. 3. The health concept, health perception, emotional state, and social support were found to have indirect effects on quality of life of chronic gastric disease. In conclusion, the derived model in this study is considered appropriate in explaining and predicting quality of life of chronic gastric disease. Therefore it can effectively be used as a reference model for further studies and suggested direction in nursing practice.