• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6077-6081
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• 2012

Background: This study was performed to analyze the prognostic implications of pretreatment or preoperative thrombocytosis in women with gynecologic malignancies. Material and Methods: We surveyed 2 medical databases, PubMed and EMBASE, to identified all relevant studies. A total of 14 (n=3,490) that evaluated the link between thrombocytosis and 5-year survival were included. REVMAN version 5.1 was used for our analysis and publication bias was evaluated using the Begg's funnel plot and tested by STATA 11.0. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) generated by the random effect model were used to assess the strength of any association. Results: 709(20.3%) of the 3,490 patients exhibited thrombocytosis (platelet counts > $400{\times}10^9/L$) at primary diagnosis, and their mortality was 1.62-fold higher compared with the others (RR=1.62, 95%CI=[1.28-2.05], p<0.0001). Thrombocytosis failed to have a stronger effect on the survival of advanced patients of stages III to IV in our study (n=478, RR=1.29, 95% CI=[1.13-1.48], p=0.0003), nor in women with cervical cancer in stage IB (n=1371, RR=1.73, 95% CI=[1.71-2.58], p=0.007). In addition, when adjusted for different carcinoma, it was associated with worse prognosis for all except the ones with vulvar cancer (n=201, RR=0.43, 95% CI=[0.14-1.29], p=0.13). Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that thrombocytosis might be associated with a worse prognosis for patients with gynecologic malignancies but without specificity or sensitivity for the ones in advanced stage. When adjusted for different gynecologic malignancies, it showed a significant effect on survival of all except vulvar cancers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.323-335
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• 2016

Breast cancer risk assessment has developed during years and evaluation of genetic factor affecting risk of breast cancer is an important component of this risk assessment. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the role of XRCC1 polymorphisms (Arg194Trp, Arg280His and Arg399Gln) in risk of breast cancer among different population and categories of menopausal status.PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and PubMed Central were systematically searched to identify studies evaluating association between breast cancer and XRCC1 gene polymorphisms (Arg194Trp, Arg280His and Arg399Gln). Two authors independently extracted required information. Odds Ratios were pooled for four genetic inheritance models using both fixed and the DerSimonian and Laird random-effect models. Egger's test and contour-enhanced funnel plot was used to evaluate publication bias and small study effect. Additional subgroup analysis was performed for menopausal status, ethnicity, and source of controls. After evaluation and applying inclusion criteria on extracted studies, fifty three studies were included in this meta-analysis. For polymorphisms of Arg194Trp and Arg280His, no significant association was observed in all genetic models. Arg194Trp had a protective effect in post-menopausal status only in homozygote model (OR=0.57 [0.37-0.88]). Arg399Gln showed significant association with breast cancer in homozygote (OR=1.21 [1.10-1.34]), dominant (OR=1.09 [1.03-1.15]) and recessive (OR=1.21 [1.09- 1.35]) genetic models. Arg399Gln was associated with higher risk in post-menopausal status for homozygote and heterozygote models. Our findings suggest that XRCC1 gene polymorphisms modify breast cancer risk in different populations and different categories of menopausal status.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.107-120
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and basis of rehabilitation intervention in patients with spinal cord injury by systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. Methods : Two researchers independently searched and selected a study published in an academic journal using a search term in an international thesis database. A total of 21 studies met the selection criteria, and qualitative evaluation of the study was conducted using the PEDro Scale. Meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 program. Results : A total of 713 subjects were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed a score of 0.406 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.221 ~ 0.591) for intervention using physical activity and 0.505 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.449 ~ 1.528) for electronic stimulation therapy, which showed medium effect; educational intervention had a 0.248 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.033 ~ 0.464), and mixed intervention 0.280 (95.0% confidence interval: 0.122 ~ 0.438). It was shown that the effect of small (small). There was a significant heterogeneity in the statistical heterogeneity test, and thus the random effects model was selected and analyzed. Conclusion : The results showed that rehabilitation interventions were effective for patients with spinal cord injury. During the rehabilitation of spinal cord injury patients, clinicians are expected to contribute to the development of programs to improve their lifestyles.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.437-446
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• 2017

Purpose: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum. cassia and C. aromaticum) on the glycemic response with a focus on the preparation of dehydrated powder and water extract. Methods: We searched Pubmed, Cochrane, EMBASE, Science Direct, and the Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS) through May 2017. In the meta-analysis for the preparation of powder, eight trials reporting fasting blood glucose (FBG), four trials reporting HbA1c, and three trials reporting the postprandial glycemic response were included. For the water extract, six trials reporting FBG and four trials reporting HbA1c were eligible for this study. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effect size. Results: Cassia cinnamon powder intake significantly lowered FBG by -1.55 mmol/L (95% CI, -2.45, -0.64; p = 0.001) and the AUC of postprandial blood glucose level by $-51.8mmol/L{\cdot}min$ (95% CI, -85.5, -18.1; p = 0.003). There was a significant difference in FBG between water extract of cinnamon and placebo of -0.76 mmol/L (95% CI, -1.09, -0.43; p = 0.000). However, blood HbA1c level was not significantly altered by any preparation of cinnamon. No statistical heterogeneity was observed for any analysis except in the case of FBG for cinnamon powder. Results of funnel plots and Egger's regression suggest a low likelihood of publication bias in all biomarkers (p > 0.05). Conclusion: According to this meta-analysis, there was possible evidence to support a relationship between cassia cinnamon intake and fasting glucose in both preparation of powder and water extract. Furthermore, new evidence of the health benefits on postprandial glucose regulation of cinnamon powder was obtained.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.520-530
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the effects of music therapy on cognitive function, agitation, anxiety and depression in the elderly with dementia. Method: A comprehensive literature search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, Google scholar and PsycINFO, for the period 2010 to 2019. In the meta-analysis, the standardized mean difference (Hedges' g) and 95% confidence interval were calculated as summary measure, and the random effect model and inverse variance method were applied using the RevMan 5.4 program. A total of 13 studies were included; all were determined to be acceptable, based on the Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. Results: The effect size (Hedges' g) was 0.31 (95% CI: -0.02, 0.65) for cognition and -0.03 (95% CI: -0.17, 0.11) for agitation behavior as the primary outcomes, and 0.61 (95% CI: -1.17, -0.05) for anxiety and -0.44(95% CI: -0.88, 0.00) for depression as the secondary outcomes. Subgroup analysis by type of music intervention revealed that combined music therapy has a significantly increasing beneficial effect on cognition of dementia patients (g=0.45[95% CI: 0.03, 0.87]). Conclusion: Music therapy was determined to exert beneficial effects in reducing anxiety and depression, and combined music therapy demonstrated improved cognitive functions in elderly patients with dementia.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.39-55
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• 2022

In this study, we investigate the interrelationship between housing tenure and childbirth by exploiting the correlation probability effect method that accounts for household heterogeneity. Using the newlywed household panel from 2011 to 2022, we find that home ownership has a positive impact on childbirth in newlyweds. Specifically, newlywed households with housing tenure show a 6.2%p higher birth rate and a 5.7%p higher second childbirth than newlywed households living in rented houses. For the case of first childbirth, we employ the probability effect probit model since the endogeneity was not detected between housing tenure and birth rate. We document the differential effects of housing tenure on childbirth in that the first childbirth rate is higher for households without housing tenures. The negative effects on first childbirth could be attributed to the economic burden due to initial housing ownership, while housing tenure could eventually provide housing stability, leading to positive effects on more than one childbirth. Finally, we identify that households with childbirth over the last year show a 4.2%p and 3.9%p lower probabilities of housing tenure in the total sample and second childbirth sample, respectively. This suggests that the increased living cost due to childbirth could delay home ownership.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.175-201
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanism through which youth school-based mentoring program impacts mentees' psychological and school-related outcomes such as self-esteem, self-efficacy, and attitudes toward school. The hypothetical model was assumed that mentors could improve their mentees' developmental outcomes through positive relationships with mentors as good role models and enhancement of help-seeking orientation. To investigate the mediating effect of process-related outcomes, structural equation modeling was used. The 97 adolescents were recruited through referral and random selection from middle schools in Seoul. The result showed that the effects of program participation were mediated by proximal changes in connectedness to role models and development of help-seeking orientation that, in turn, led to facilitate more positive attitudes toward school and academic activity, and improve psychological outcomes. Practice and policy implications as well as further research topics were discussed to aid the search for highly effective mentoring programs.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.269-277
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• 2010

Previous studies have shown that the most important factor affecting customer loyalty in the service industry is service quality. However, on the subject of whether service quality has a direct or indirect effect on customer loyalty, scholars' views apparently vary. Some studies suggest that service quality has a direct and fundamental influence on customer loyalty (Bai and Liu, 2002). However, others have shown that service quality not only directly affects customer loyalty, it also has an indirect impact on customer loyalty by influencing customer satisfaction and perceived value (Cronin, Brady, and Hult, 2000). Currently, there are few domestic articles that specifically address the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty in the mobile communication industry. Moreover, research has studied customer loyalty as a whole variable, rather than breaking it down further into multiple dimensions. Based on this analysis, this paper summarizes previous study results, establishes an effect mechanism model among service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in the mobile communication industry, and presents a statistical test on model assumptions by using customer investigation data from Heilongjiang Mobile Company. It provides theoretical guidance for mobile service management based on the discussion of the hypothesis test results. For data collection, the sample comprised mobile users in Harbin city, and the survey was taken by random sampling. Out of a total of 300 questionnaires, 276 (92.9%) were recovered. After excluding invalid questionnaires, 249 remained, for an effective rate of 82.6 percent for the study. Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ coefficient was adapted to assess the scale reliability, and validity testing was conducted on the questionnaire from three aspects: content validity, construct validity. and convergent validity. The study tested for goodness of fit mainly from the absolute and relative fit indexes. From the hypothesis testing results, overall, four assumptions have not been supported. The ultimate affective relationship of service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty is demonstrated in Figure 2. On the whole, the service quality of the communication industry not only has a direct positive significant effect on customer loyalty, it also has an indirect positive significant effect on customer loyalty through service quality; the affective mechanism and extent of customer loyalty are different, and are influenced by each dimension of service quality. This study used the questionnaires of existing literature from home and abroad and tested them in empirical research, with all questions adapted to seven-point Likert scales. With the SERVQUAL scale of Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1988), or PZB, as a reference point, service quality was divided into five dimensions-tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy-and the questions were simplified down to nineteen. The measurement of customer satisfaction was based mainly on Fornell (1992) and Wang and Han (2003), ending up with four questions. Based on the study’s three indicators of price tolerance, first choice, and complaint reaction were used to measure attitudinal loyalty, while repurchase intention, recommendation, and reputation measured behavioral loyalty. The collection and collation of literature data produced a model of the relationship among service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in mobile communications, and China Mobile in the city of Harbin in Heilongjiang province was used for conducting an empirical test of the model and obtaining some useful conclusions. First, service quality in mobile communication is formed by the five factors mentioned earlier: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. On the basis of PZB SERVQUAL, the study designed a measurement scale of service quality for the mobile communications industry, and obtained these five factors through exploratory factor analysis. The factors fit basically with the five elements, indicating the concept of five elements of service quality for the mobile communications industry. Second, service quality in mobile communications has both direct and indirect positive effects on attitudinal loyalty, with the indirect effect being produced through the intermediary variable, customer satisfaction. There are also both direct and indirect positive effects on behavioral loyalty, with the indirect effect produced through two intermediary variables: customer satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty. This shows that better service quality and higher customer satisfaction will activate the attitudinal to service providers more active and show loyalty to service providers much easier. In addition, the effect mechanism of all dimensions of service quality on all dimensions of customer loyalty is different. Third, customer satisfaction plays a significant intermediary role among service quality and attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, indicating that improving service quality can boost customer satisfaction and make it easier for satisfied customers to become loyal customers. Moreover, attitudinal loyalty plays a significant intermediary role between service quality and behavioral loyalty, indicating that only attitudinally and behaviorally loyal customers are truly loyal customers. The research conclusions have some indications for Chinese telecom operators and others to upgrade their service quality. Two limitations to the study are also mentioned. First, all data were collected in the Heilongjiang area, so there might be a common method bias that skews the results. Second, the discussion addresses the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty, setting customer satisfaction as mediator, but does not consider other factors, like customer value and consumer features, This research will be continued in the future.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.75-97
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• 2012

Knowledge residing in the heads of employees has always been regarded as one of the most critical resources within a firm. However, many tries to facilitate knowledge transfer among employees has been unsuccessful because of the motivational and cognitive problems between the knowledge source and the recipient. Social capital, which is defined as "the sum of the actual and potential resources embedded within, available through, derived from the network of relationships possessed by an individual or social unit [Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998]," is suggested to resolve these motivational and cognitive problems of knowledge transfer. In Social capital theory, there are two research streams. One insists that social capital strengthens group solidarity and brings up cooperative behaviors among group members, such as voluntary help to colleagues. Therefore, social capital can motivate an expert to transfer his/her knowledge to a colleague in need without any direct reward. The other stream insists that social capital provides an access to various resources that the owner of social capital doesn't possess directly. In knowledge transfer context, an employee with social capital can access and learn much knowledge from his/her colleagues. Therefore, social capital provides benefits to both the knowledge source and the recipient in different ways. However, prior research on knowledge transfer and social capital is mostly limited to either of the research stream of social capital and covered only the knowledge source's or the knowledge recipient's perspective. Social network theory which focuses on the structural dimension of social capital provides clear explanation about the in-depth mechanisms of social capital's two different benefits. 'Strong tie' builds up identification, trust, and emotional attachment between the knowledge source and the recipient; therefore, it motivates the knowledge source to transfer his/her knowledge to the recipient. On the other hand, 'weak tie' easily expands to 'diverse' knowledge sources because it does not take much effort to manage. Therefore, the real value of 'weak tie' comes from the 'diverse network structure,' not the 'weak tie' itself. It implies that the two different perspectives on strength of ties can co-exist. For example, an extroverted employee can manage many 'strong' ties with 'various' colleagues. In this regards, the individual-level structure of one's relationships as well as the dyadic-level relationship should be considered together to provide a holistic view of social capital. In addition, interaction effect between individual-level characteristics and dyadic-level characteristics can be examined, too. Based on these arguments, this study has following research questions. (1) How does the social capital of the knowledge source and the recipient influence knowledge transfer respectively? (2) How does the strength of ties between the knowledge source and the recipient influence knowledge transfer? (3) How does the social capital of the knowledge source and the recipient influence the effect of the strength of ties between the knowledge source and the recipient on knowledge transfer? Based on Social capital theory and Social network theory, a multi-level research model is developed to consider both the individual-level social capital of the knowledge source and the recipient and the dyadic-level strength of relationship between the knowledge source and the recipient. 'Cross-classified random effect model,' one of the multi-level analysis methods, is adopted to analyze the survey responses from 337 R&D employees. The results of analysis provide several findings. First, among three dimensions of the knowledge source's social capital, network centrality (i.e., structural dimension) shows the significant direct effect on knowledge transfer. On the other hand, the knowledge recipient's network centrality is not influential. Instead, it strengthens the influence of the strength of ties between the knowledge source and the recipient on knowledge transfer. It means that the knowledge source's network centrality does not directly increase knowledge transfer. Instead, by providing access to various knowledge sources, the network centrality provides only the context where the strong tie between the knowledge source and the recipient leads to effective knowledge transfer. In short, network centrality has indirect effect on knowledge transfer from the knowledge recipient's perspective, while it has direct effect from the knowledge source's perspective. This is the most important contribution of this research. In addition, contrary to the research hypothesis, company tenure of the knowledge recipient negatively influences knowledge transfer. It means that experienced employees do not look for new knowledge and stick to their own knowledge. This is also an interesting result. One of the possible reasons is the hierarchical culture of Korea, such as a fear of losing face in front of subordinates. In a research methodology perspective, multi-level analysis adopted in this study seems to be very promising in management research area which has a multi-level data structure, such as employee-team-department-company. In addition, social network analysis is also a promising research approach with an exploding availability of online social network data.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1514-1524
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• 2011

A total of 4,752 monthly lactation records of Friesian cows during the period from 2000 to 2005 were used to estimate genetic parameters and to determine the effect of udder health on milk production traits. Three milk production traits were studied: 305-day milk yield (305-dMY), 305-day fat yield (305-dFY) and 305-day protein yield (305-dPY). Four udder health traits were studied: somatic cell count (SCC), mastitis (MAST), udder health status (UDHS) with 10 categories and udder quarter infection (UDQI) with 7 categories. Mixed model least square analysis was used to estimate the fixed effects of month and year of calving and parity (P) on different studied traits. Sire and dam within sire were included in the model as random effects. Data were analyzed using Multi-trait Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood methodology (MTDFREML) to estimate genetic parameters. Unadjusted means of 305-dMY, 305-dFY, 305-dPY and SCC were 3,936, 121, 90 kg and 453,000 cells/ml, respectively. Increasing SCC from 300,000 to 2,000,000 cells/ml increased UDQI from 5.51 to 23.2%. Losses in monthly and lactationally milk yields per cow ranged from 17 to 93 and from 135 to 991 kg, respectively. The corresponding losses in monthly and lactationally milk yields return per cow at the same level of SCC ranged from 29.8 to 163 and from 236 to 1,734 Egyptian pounds, respectively. Heritability estimates of 305-dMY, 305-dFY, 305-dPY, SCC, MAST, UDHS, UDQI were 0.31${\pm}$0.4, 0.33${\pm}$0.03, 0.35${\pm}$0.05, 0.23${\pm}$0.02, 0.14${\pm}$0.02, 0.13${\pm}$0.03, and 0.09${\pm}$0.01, respectively. All milk production traits showed slightly unfavorable negative phenotypic and genetic correlations with SCC, MAST, UDHS and UDQI. There were positive and high genetic correlations between SCC and each of MAST (0.85${\pm}$0.7), UDHS (0.87${\pm}$0.10) and UDQI (0.77${\pm}$0.06) and between MAST and each of UDHS (0.91${\pm}$0.11) and UDQI (0.83${\pm}$0.07). It could be concluded that the economic losses from mastitis and high SCC are considerable. The high genetic correlation between SCC and clinical mastitis (CM) suggest that the selection for lower SCC would help to reduce or eliminate the undesirable correlated responses of clinical mastitis associated with selection for increasing milk yield. Additionally, it is recommended also that if direct information on under health traits is not available, measures of SCC can be inclusion in a selection criteria to improve the income from dairy cows.