• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1210-1219
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• 2001

Introduction : The purpose of this study was to analyze the safety, pullout strength and radiographic characteristics of unicortical and bicortical screws of cervical facet within cadaveric specimens and evaluate the influence of level of training on the positioning of these screws. Methods : Twenty-one cadavers, mean 78.9 years of age, underwent bilateral placement of 3.5mm AO lateral mass screw from C3-C6(n=168) using a slight variation of the Magerl technique. Intraoperative imaging was not used. The right side(unicortical) utilized only 14mm screws(effective length of 11mm) while on the left side to determine the length of the screw after the ventral cortex had been drilled. Three spine surgeons(attending, fellow, chief resident) with varying levels of spine training performed the procedure on seven cadavers each. All spines were harvested and lateral radiographs were taken. Individual cervical vertebrae were carefully dissected and then axial radiographs were taken. The screws were evaluated clinically and radiographically for their safety. Screws were graded clinically for their safety with respect to the spinal cord, facet joint, nerve root and vertebral artery. The grades consisted of the following categories : "satisfactory", "at risk" and "direct injury". Each screw was also graded according to its zone placement. Screw position was quantified by measuring a sagittal angle from the lateral radiograph and an axial angle from the axial radiograph. Pull-out force was determined for all screws using a material testing machine. Results : Dissection revealed that fifteen screws on the left side actually had only unicortical and not bicortical purchase as intended. The majority of screws(92.8%) were satisfactory in terms of safety. There were no injuries to the spinal cord. On the right side(unicortical), 98.9% of the screws were "satisfactory" and on the left side(bicortical) 68.1% were "satisfactory". There was a 5.8% incidence of direct arterial injury and a 17.4% incidence of direct nerve root injury with the bicortical screws. There were no "direct injuries" with the unicortical screws for the nerve root or vertebral artery. The unicortical screws had a 21.4% incidence of direct injury of the facet joint, while the bicortical screws had a 21.7% incidence. The majority of "direct injury" of bicortical screws were placed by the surgeon with the least experience. The performance of the resident surgeon was significantly different from the attending or fellow(p<0.05) in terms of safety of the nerve root and vertebral artery. The attending's performance was significantly better than the resident or fellow(p<0.05) in terms of safety of the facet joint. There was no relationship between the safety of a screw and its zone placement. The axial deviation angle measured $23.5{\pm}6.6$ degrees and $19.8{\pm}7.9$ degrees for the unicortical and bicortical screws, respectively. The resident surgeon had a significantly lower angle than the attending or fellow(p<0.05). The sagittal angle measured $66.3{\pm}7.0$ degrees and $62.3{\pm}7.9$ degrees for the unicortical and bicortical screws, respectively. The attending had a significantly lower sagittal angle than the fellow or resident(p<0.05). Thirty-three screws that entered the facet joint were tested for pull-out strength but excluded from the data because they were not lateral mass screws per-se and had deviated substantially from the intended final trajectory. The mean pull-out force for all screws was $542.9{\pm}296.6N$. There was no statistically significant difference between the pull-out force for unicortical($519.9{\pm}286.9N$) and bicortical($565.2{\pm}306N$) screws. There was no significant difference in pull-out strengths with respect to zone placement. Conclusion : It is our belief that the risk associated with bicortical purchase mandates formal spine training if it is to be done safely and accurately. Unicortical screws are safer regardless of level of training. It is apparent that 14mm lateral mass screws placed in a supero-lateral trajectory in the adult cervical spine provide an equivalent strength with a much lower risk of injury than the longer bicortical screws placed in a similar orientation.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.418-425
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to introduce the ultrasound-guided transmeniscal injection in medial compartment knee osteoarthritis and analyze the clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: The electronic medical records of 36 patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis who were treated with an ultrasound-guided transmeniscal injection from March 2019 to July 2019 were accessed for this retrospective review. Using an ultrasound guided spinal needle, the patients received an intra-articular steroid injection at the medial compartment of the knee. A physical examination was conducted at the initial visit (pre-injection), and at one week, four weeks, and eight weeks after the injection. The numeric pain rating scale (NRS), Lequesne index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) score were measured at each visit and analyzed over time. The percentage change of the patients who revealed substantial improvement was analyzed. The NRS, Lequesne index, and percentage of patients, who revealed substantial improvement over time classified by osteoarthritis grade, were analyzed. Results: The NRS and Lequesne index decreased at one week, four weeks, and eight weeks after the injection compared to the initial baseline, and the pain-relief effect continued without change until eight weeks. The percentage of patients who showed substantial improvement at one, four, and eight weeks was 50.0%, 47.2%, and 52.8%, respectively. The WOMAC scores decreased at one, four, and eight weeks compared to the initial baseline, and the decrease was continued without any difference until eight weeks. The percentage of patients with osteoarthritis stage 1 or 2 who revealed more than substantial improvement was significantly higher at one, four, and eight weeks than those with osteoarthritis stages 3 or 4 (p<0.05). Conclusion: In patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis, the pain reduction and functional improvement persisted for at least eight weeks after the ultrasound-guided transmeniscal injection at the medial compartment. In particular, patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis stage 1 or 2 showed more effective pain reduction.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2014

Serpins are a group of proteins involved in the regulation of serine and other type of proteases, and have been identified in many kinds of organisms from invertebrates to vertebrates. Serpins are known to regulate the proteolytic cascades of the innate immune pathways in addition to their roles in blood coagulation, angiogenesis, fibrinolysis, inflammation and tumor suppression. In this study, we have isolated two partial serpin gene fragments from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of Nesiohelix samarangae. Dotplot analysis indicates that they are of two different types, Ns-serpin type 1 and Ns-serpin type 2. Ns-serpin type 1 has 819 bp coding region (272 amino acids), whereas Ns-serpin type 2 has 555 bp coding region (185 amino acids). Molecular phylogenetic analysis shows that the identified serpins have high similarities to their counterparts in the California see slug, Aplysia californica. Yet, the precise biological and immunological roles of these Ns-serpins remain to be further investigated using RNA interference and other molecular techniques.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate usefulness in diagnosing primary malignant lesion of metastatic bone tumor using $^{18}F$ FDG PET/CT. Material & Methods: Retrospective analysis was executed on 5,452 patients who were taken with $^{18}F$ FDG PET/CT between December 2003 and December 2007. 180 patients who had not any history of malignancy and complained musculoskeletal pain and had ill-defined osteolytic lesion in plain X-ray, were included. 96 male and 84 female were enrolled and mean age was 59.1 year old (22~90). We analyzed diagnostic accuracy, age and sex distribution of primary malignant lesion, location of metastatic lesion. Results: We could confirmed primary malignant lesion in 152 cases (84.4%). Most common malignant primary lesion was lung (28.3%), breast (18.9%) and gastrointestinal system (16.7%) and spine was the most common metastatic location of primary malignant lesion. Conclusion: $^{18}F$ FDG PET/CT is a effective molecular imaging detecting primary malignant lesion in patients having metastatic bone lesion without history of malignancy.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2002

Interval mapping using microsatellite markers was employed to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) in the experimental cross between Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs. In order to derive critical values (CV) for test statistics for declaring significance of QTL, permutation test (PT) of Churchill and Doerge method(1994) and the analytical method(LK) of Lander and Kruglyak(1995) were used by each trait and chromosome. 525 $F_2$ progeny phenotypes of five traits(carcass weight, loin eye area, marbling score, cholesterol content, last back fat thickness) and genotypes of 125 markers covering the genome were used. Data were analyzed by line cross regression interval mapping with an F-test every by 1cM. PT CV were based on 10,000 permutations. CV at genome-wise test were 10.5 for LK and ranged from 8.1 to 8.3 for PT, depending on the trait. CV, differed substantially between methods, led to different numbers of quantitative trait loci (QTL) to be detected. PT results in the least stringent CV compared at the same % level.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.129-136
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• 2014

Objectives The purpose of this study is to find out clinical and radiological correlation between lumbar lordotic angle, lumbar intervertebral disc angle and lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods Total 250 patients' who had visited Bu-Chun Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine lumbar lordotic angle, intervertebral disc angle of L4/5 and dural sac dimension of L4/5 were measured by X-ray and MRI films. We analysed correlation between lumbar lordotic angle, intervertebral disc angle of L4/5 and lumbar spinal stenosis in terms of clinical and radiological aspect. Results 1. The mean intervertebral disc angle of L4/5 were $10.72{\pm}3.98^{\circ}$, the mean lumbar lordotic angle were $41.97{\pm}11.73^{\circ}$ and the mean dural sac dimension of L4/5 were $133.18{\pm}45.46mm^2$. 2. This study shows that dural sac dimension of L4/5 was inversely reated to intervertebral disc angle of L4/5 by statistically (p<0.05). 3. There was visible difference regarding intervertebral disc angle of L4/5 between patients who had been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis by clinically and patients who had not been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis by clinically; The former's angle was relatively higher than the latter's (p<0.05). Conclusions There was a statistical significance between intervertebral disc angle of L4/5 and lumbar spinal stenosis in single-segment.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.291-299
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• 2004

Characterization of quantitative trait loci (QTL) was investigated in the experimental cross population between Berkshire and Yorkshire breed. A total of 512 F$_2$ offspring from 65 matting of F$_1$ parents were phenotyped the carcass traits included average daily gain (ADG), average backfat thickness (ABF), tenth rip backfat thickness (TRF), loin eye area (LEA), and last rip backfat thickness (LRF). All animals were genotyped for 125 markers across the genome. Marker linkage maps were derived and used in QTL analysis based on line cross least squares regression interval mapping. A decision tree to identify QTL with imprinting effects was developed based on tests against the Mendelian mode of QTL expression. To set the evidence of QTL presence, empirical significance thresholds were derived at chromosome-wise and genome-wise levels using specialized permutation strategies. Significance thresholds derived by the permutation test were validated in the data set based on simulation of a pedigree and data structure similar to the Berkshire-Yorkshire population. Genome scan revealed significant evidences for 13 imprinted QTLs affecting growth and body compositions of which nine were identified to be QTL with paternally expressed inheritance mode. Four of QTLs in the loin eye area (LEA), and tenth rip backfat thickness (TRF), a maternally expressed QTL were found on chromosome 10 and 12. These results support the useful statistical models to analyse the imprinting far the QTLs related carcass trait.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.208-212
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• 2017

A urinary calculus in the urethra is rarely seen and usually encountered in men with a urethral stricture or diverticulum. Herein, we report a rare case of a giant calculus in the urethra of a 42-year-old male patient with paraplegia after spinal cord injury due to car accident 20 years ago. A recent urologic consultation from the emergency room was performed since the patient had multidisciplinary symptoms during the day without any urination and presented with urinary difficulties due to hematuria and pain symptoms occurring with a mass in the bottom of the testicles. Abdomen and pelvic computed tomography (CT) was performed to examine the tumor mass, which was found to be absent. In addition, urethral stones were observed in the CT. Cystostomy was performed after the first urethroplasty, and the stone was removed from the urethra. Two weeks later, the patient was subjected to urethrography to remove the Foley catheter. No specific finding in voiding was detected. Giant urethral stones sometime require differentiation from tumor status. Treatment may vary according to size and location, requiring careful examination.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1087-1093
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to survey the effectiveness of oriental medicine treatment on lumbar herniated intervertebral disc and spondylolisthesis. The clinical study was performed on 32 cases of patients with lumbar herniated intervertebral disc and spondylolisthesis as diagnosed by X-ray, Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) exams amongst the patients who were admitted to Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine from January 2010 to June 2010. 32 cases of patients were analyzed according to the distribution of sex, age, duration of disease, contributory factor, symptoms, admission period, disc herniation type and level of spondylolisthesis. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated respectively. The number of the female patients were larger than that of male with the ratio of 1:0.6. Most of the patients were in their fifties(43.8%), choronic phase(46.9%), those patients suffered from lower back pain and leg pain radiation(90.6%), reasons unknown(56.3%). Most of them also had mixed disc(37.5%), bulging disc(37.5%) and spondylolisthesis of LS on L5(50.0%). Most of them stayed in the hospital for 21-25days. After treatment, the percentage with good improvement was 62.5%, fair 18.8%, poor 12.5%, and excellent 6.3%, respectively. Oriental medicine treatment has on useful effect on the recovery of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc with spondylolisthesis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.203-206
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• 1988

Evaluation of inadvertent dural puncture occuring among 308 epidural blocks done for the relief of pain from various conditions was performed. Dural puncture was suspected in 5 out of 308 epidural bloks. (1.6%) Aspiration of CSF was negative in 3 cases in which dural puncture was suspected only after developing spinal anesthesia. Of the 3 negative CSF aspirations, one case had a history of laminectomy. Adhesions of the adjacent tissues might result in the loss of flexibility and a decrease in potential epidural space which might cause dural tearing during injection and subarachoid injection of the local anesthetic followed by high spinal anesthesia. In another case, the needle tip was obstructed by tissue which led to negative aspiration of CSF and failure to feel loss of resistance. The second injection at the same site may cause subarachnoid injection of the local anesthetic through the previously perforated dura mater and in turn, lead to spinal anesthesia. In the last case, there was no reason to suspect dural puncture since the loss of resistance plus air rebound were definite and aspiration of CSF was negative, but dural puncture was suspected after the patient developed spinal anesthesia.