• 한국지구과학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.151-163
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• 2010

본 연구를 통하여 고등학교 1학년 학생들을 대상으로 이들이 가지고 있는 우주에 대한 개념을 조사하고 이에 영향을 준 요소가 무엇인지 알아보았다. 연구 결과 대부분의 학생들은 우주를 물리적 공간으로 생각하고 있었으며 많은 수의 학생들은 '우주'하면 아름답다는 느낌을 떠올리거나 미지의 공간이라는 생각을 떠올렸다. 그림 표현에서, 학생들은 많은 경우 직관적으로 우주를 태양계 수준에서 파악하고 있음이 드러났다. 우주의 중심과 끝에 대한 질문에서, 학생들 중 태양 중심, 지구 중심 또는 중심 없는 무한한 우주를 생각하는 비율이 높았다. 우주의 변화는 한 방향으로 일어나며 이를 물리적 관점에서 서술하는 경우가 많았다. 학생들이 가진 이러한 개념에 영향을 준 요소를 알아보기 위하여 학생들을 성별, 신념별, 교과서 외의 천문 지식을 접해본 경험 유무로 그룹화 하여 비교 분석하였다. 그 결과, 각 그룹에 따라 우주의 중심과 끝, 우주의 변화에 대한 관점의 차이가 있었다. 또한 우주의 기원에 대한 이유를 설명할 때 종교적 신념에 따른 차이가 있음이 드러났다. 본 연구 결과는 개인의 우주관이 다양하며 이에는 여러 가지 요소가 영향을 줌을 보여준다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.33-38
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• 2003

Objectives : To assess the difference in the volume of psychiatric treatments provided to health insurance inpatients, compared with those on medical assistance(the medical aid program) Korean psychiatric hospitals, and to determine factors which affect the volume of the services. Methods : 21 psychiatrists, from 3 Korean psychiatric hospitals recorded the frequencies psychiatric treatments provided to inpatients in one week (February 18-24, 2002). The records of 329 patients were analyzed through t-tests, and random effectmixed model analyses to define the difference between the two groups, and to find other factors affecting the volume of service. Results : A significant difference in the volume of psychiatric treatments provided was observed between the health insurance and medical assistance groups. The variation in the volume of service between hospitals was prominent, and other factors (gender, agegroup, length of stay and mental disorder)were also found to be significant. The patients on medical assistance received only 70% of the psychiatric treatments of those on health insurance. Conclusions : More effort is required to improve the methods of payment to increase the level of fee scheduling for medical assistance. Further studies on the mechanisms causing these differences in the volume of service are required.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.206-215
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• 2014

Objectives: The hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) has been widely used because it allows for robust risk adjustment using administrative data and is important for improving the quality of patient care. Methods: All inpatients discharged from hospitals with more than 700 beds (66 hospitals) in 2008 were eligible for inclusion. Using the claims data, 29 most responsible diagnosis (MRDx), accounting for 80% of all inpatient deaths among these hospitals, were identified, and inpatients with those MRDx were selected. The final study population included 703 571 inpatients including 27 718 (3.9% of all inpatients) in-hospital deaths. Using logistic regression, risk-adjusted models for predicting in-hospital mortality were created for each MRDx. The HSMR of individual hospitals was calculated for each MRDx using the model coefficients. The models included age, gender, income level, urgency of admission, diagnosis codes, disease-specific risk factors, and comorbidities. The Elixhauser comorbidity index was used to adjust for comorbidities. Results: For 26 out of 29 MRDx, the c-statistics of these mortality prediction models were higher than 0.8 indicating excellent discriminative power. The HSMR greatly varied across hospitals and disease groups. The academic status of the hospital was the only factor significantly associated with the HSMR. Conclusions: We found a large variation in HSMR among hospitals; therefore, efforts to reduce these variations including continuous monitoring and regular disclosure of the HSMR are required.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.195-199
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• 2011

영어 능력평가를 위한 테스트는 평가자, 과제, 인터뷰의 주제, 그리고 평가 받는 사람의 성별 등 여러 가지 이유 때문에 그 평가 결과가 아주 다양할 수 있다. 이전의 자료는 평가자가 외국어로서의 영어구술 능력 평가 결과에 아주 중요한 영향을 끼친다는 것을 증명해 왔다. 이렇게 영어 능력 구술 평가에 영향을 미치는 평가자에 대한 많은 조사는 있었지만 평가 과정에 잠재적으로 영향을 줄 수 있는 평가자의 가변성에 대한 조사는 극히 드물었다. 시험 환경이 달라지면 그에 따라 구술 평가가 달라지고 그 평가 기준은 또 완전히 달라진다. 그러므로 다양한 시험 수행 과제에 대해 똑같은 평가 기준을 적용하는 것은 적당치 않다. 즉 평가 과정에 대한 더 많은 원안 분석과 심도 있는 연구가 필요하다. 제 2외국어로서 영어 능력평가를 위한 구술시험은 보다 더 현실적이고 효율적인 장치가 만들어져야 할 것이다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.655-660
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• 2016

Smoking is accountable for the fatality of a substantial number of persons and increases the likelihood of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Although data have shown high prevalence rates of cigarette smoking in Saudi Arabia, relatively little is known about the broader scope. The objectives of this study were to investigate socio-demographic factors, patterns of use and cessation behavior associated with smoking in Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study utilized a cross-sectional, multi-step design of sampling. Residents (N=1,497; aged 15 years and older) were recruited from seven administrative areas in Southwest Saudi Arabia. A pretested questionnaire was utilized to obtain data on participant cigarette smoking, including their daily use, age, education, income, marital status and employment status. The current study is the first of its kind to gather data cessation behavior of Saudi subjects. With the exception of 1.5% females, all the respondents were male. The majority of the respondents were married, had a university level of education, were employed, and were younger than 34 years old. The same trends were also observed among smokers' samples. The current prevalence of cigarette smoking was 49.2% and 65.7% of smokers had smoking at less than 18 years of age. The mean daily use amongst smokers was 7.98 cigarettes (SD=4.587). More than 50% of the study sample had tried at least once to quit smoking. However, 42% of the smokers participating had never. On the other hand, about 25% of the respondents were willing to consider quitting smoking in the future. Modeling of cigarette smoking suggested that the most significant independent predictors of smoking behavior were geographic area, gender, marital status, education, job and age. Considerable variation in smoking prevalence was noted related with participant sociodemographics. Findings recommend the necessity for control and intervention programs in Saudi community.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2647-2650
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancers(CRC) are the third most common cancer in the western world, with surgery preferred for management of non-metastatic disease and post surgical treatment usually arranged according to the TNM staging system. However, there is still prognostic variation between patients who have the same stage. It is increasingly recognized that variations within disease course and clinical outcome in colorectal cancer patients are influenced by not only oncological characteristics of the tumor itself but also host response factors. Recent studies have shown correlation between the inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in various cancers. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been described as a marker for immune response to various stimuli including cancer. Material-Methods: Two hundred eighty-one CRC patients were included in our retrospective analysis, separated into two groups according to a cut-off value for the NLR. Patient data including age, gender, vertical penetration, anatomic location, and differentiation of the tumor, TNM stage, survival rate, and disease-free survival were analyzed for correlations with the NLR. Results: Using ROC curve analysis, we determined a cut-off value of 2.2 for NLR to be best to discriminate between patient survival in the whole group. In univariate analysis, high pretreatment NLR (p=0.001, 95%CI 1.483-4.846), pathologic nodal stage (p<0.001, 95%CI 1.082-3.289) and advanced pathologic TNM stage (p<0.001, 95%CI 1.462-4.213) were predictive of shorter survival. In multivariate analysis, advanced pathologic TNM stage (p=0.001, 95%CI 1.303-26.542) and high pretreatment NLR (p=0.005, 95%CI 1.713-6.378) remained independently associated with poor survival. Conclusions: High pre-treatment NLR is a significant independent predictor of shorter survival in patients with colorectal cancer. This parameter is a simple, easily accessible laboratory value for identifying patients with poorer prognosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.16-20
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• 2008

Objective : Rapid increase in aged population and westernization of lifestyle have modified epidemiological status of stroke. The purpose of this study is to analyze changing trends of stroke epidemiology in South Korea. Methods : We reviewed retrospectively medical records of 1,124 cases diagnosed as stroke among 54,534 patients who visited the Emergency Medical Center at our hospital from January 1994 to December 1996 (Group A). Also, we evaluated 1,705 cases diagnosed as stroke among 55,381 patients who visited to the same hospital from January 2003 to December 2005 (Group B). The variable features of stroke, such as age, sex, seasonal variation and distribution of stroke subtypes were studied by comparing group A with B. Results : In group A, hemorrhagic stroke (67.9%) was more prevalent than ischemic stroke (32.1%). However, group B showed that the ratio of hemorrhagic stroke (40.3%) to ischemic stroke (59.6%) has been reversed. The highest incidence of stroke was noted in their sixties and seventies of age in group B, which was older than that of group A. In group A, male ischemic stroke (IS) patients outnumbered female patients (1.26:1). Moreover, this gender disproportion became higher in group B (1.53:1). In group A, the number of male intracerebral hermorrhage (ICH) patients were similar to that of female patients (0.97:1). However, male ICH patients outnumbered female patients in group B (1.23:1). As for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), female patients outnumbered male patients more than two-fold in both groups. Both groups showed that the occurrence of ischemic stroke was highest in summer, but that of hemorrhagic stroke was the highest in winter. Conclusion : This study showed the changing trends of stroke in its distribution of subtypes. Multicenter prospective study using stroke registry would be required for the determination of national epidemiologic trends.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권18호
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• pp.8215-8220
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• 2016

Background: The prevalence of non-squamous cell malignant tumors of the oral cavity has not been evaluated in Iran extensively. The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiological aspects of the oral malignancies with non-squamous cell origin during a 43-year period in the Faculty of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, the records of all patients referred to dental school of Mashhad university of medical sciences in northeast of Iran, during the period 1971-2013 were evaluated. All confirmed samples of oral non squamous cell malignant tumors were included in this study. Demographic information including age, gender and location of the lesions were extracted from patient's records. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical soft ware, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Results: Among 11,126 patients, 188 (1.68%) non squamous cell malignant tumors were found, with mean age of 39.9 years ranging from 2 to 92 years. The most common tumors were mucoepidermoid carcinoma (33 cases) and lymphoma (32 cases). Non squamous cell malignant tumors occurred almost equally in men (94 cases) and women (93 cases). Most (134 cases) of them were located peripherally with high frequency in salivary glands (89 cases) and 52 cases were centrally with high frequency in the mandible (38 cases). Conclusions: More findings in this survey were similar to those reported from other studies with differences in some cases; it may be due to variation in the sample size, geographic and racial differences in tumors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.475-479
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• 2013

Background: In this study we aimed to determine the rate and habitual patterns of smoking, intentions of cessation, dependence levels and sociodemographic characteristics of relatives of patients with a diagnosis of cancer. Materials and Methods: This study was designed by the Turkish Oncology Group, Epidemiology and Prevention Subgroup. The relatives of cancer patients were asked to fill a questionnaire and Fagerstrom test of nicotine dependence. Results: The median ages of those with lower and higher Fagerstrom scores were 40 years and 42 years, respectively. We found no evidence of variation between the two groups for the remaining sociodemographic variables, including the subject's medical status, gender, living in the same house with the patient, their educational status, their family income, closeness to their cancer patients or spending time with them or getting any help or wanting to get some help. Only 2% of the subjects started smoking after cancer was diagnosed in their loved ones and almost 20% of subjects had quit smoking during the previous year. Conclusions: The Fagerstrom score is helpful in determining who would be the most likely to benefit from a cigarette smoking cessation program. Identification of these people with proper screening methods might help us to pinpoint who would benefit most from these programs.

• BMB Reports
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.237-242
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• 2003

Hepatic lipase is a key enzyme that is involved in HDL-C metabolism. The goal of this study was to find out the frequency of the hepatic lipase C514T polymorphism, and evaluate its relationship with plasma HDL-C levels and coronary artery disease (CAD) in Koreans. Two hundred and twenty four subjects with no previous history of lipid-lowering therapy, 118 patients with significant CAD, and 106 controls were examined with respect to their genotypes, lipid profiles, and other risk factors for CAD. The frequency of the -514T allele was 0.37 in men and 0.35 in women, which were higher than the frequency that was reported in Caucasians, but lower than the frequency that was reported in African-Americans. The -514T allele was associated with significantly higher HDL-C levels in women. After controlling for age, gender, BMI, DM, and smoking, the non-CC genotype was significantly associated with HDL-C levels, and explained 6% of the HDL-C variation in this study. When the genotypes-distribution was compared between the CAD and non-CAD patients, the hepatic lipase C-514T polymorphism was not associated with the presence of CAD. Koreans have a higher frequency of the hepatic lipase gene 514T allele than Caucasians, and the -514T allele is associated with higher plasma HDL-C levels in Korean women, and perhaps non-smoking men. However, our data does not suggest an association between the polymorphism and an increased risk of CAD.