• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.212-223
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• 2006

Positional accuracy of the on-board imager (OBI) isocenter with gantry rotation was presented in this paper. Three different type of automatic evaluation methods of discrepancies between therapeutic and OBI isocenter using digital image processing techniques as well as a procedure stated in the customer acceptance procedure (CAP) were applied to check OBI isocenter migration trends. Two kinds of kV x-ray image set obtained at OBI source angle of $0^{\circ},\;90^{\circ},\;180^{\circ},\;270^{\circ}$ and every $10^{\circ}$ and raw projection data for cone-beam CT reconstruction were used for each evaluation method. Efficiencies of the methods were also estimated. If a user needs to obtain an isocenter variation map with full gantry rotation, a method taking OBI image for every $10^{\circ}$ and fitting with 5th order polynomial was appropriate. However for a mere quality assurance (QA) purpose of OBI isocenter accuracy, it was adequate to use only four OBI Images taken at the OBI source angle of $0^{\circ},\;90^{\circ},\;180^{\circ}\;and\;270^{\circ}$. Maximal discrepancy was 0.44 mm which was observed between the OBI source angle of $90^{\circ}\;and\;180^{\circ}$ OBI isocenter accuracy was maintained below 0.5 mm for a year. Proposed QA program may be helpful to Implement a reasonable routine QA of the OBI isocenter accuracy without great efforts.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the results of subtalar arthroscopy and to define the indications for the procedure. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients were followed up for more than 1 year after subtalar arthroscopy. The mean age was 40 years, and the mean follow-up period was 18 months. Preoperative diagnoses included sinus tarsi syndrome in 19 cases, degenerative arthritis in 13 cases, calcaneal fracture in 10 cases, arthrofibrosis in 5 cases, os trigonum syndrome in 3 cases, talar fracture in 3 cases, talocalcaneal coalition in 3 cases and calcaneal tumor in 1 case. Clinically AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale and satisfaction of the patients were evaluated. Results: There were 23 synovectomies, 13 subtalar fusions, 11 diagnostic arthroscopies, 5 adhesiolyses, 4 loose body removals, 3 excisions of os trigonum and 1 arthroscopic reduction of fracture. Twenty-five ankle arthroscopies and 11 modified Brostrom's operations were performed for the accompaning 17 ankle impingment syndromes, 11 chronic ankle instabilities and 7 osteochondral lesions of talus. AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale was increased from 33 points preoperatively to 77 points postoperatively in subtalar fusion group, and was increased from 69 points preoperatively to 89 points postoperatively in other-than-fusion group. Ninety one percent of patients were satisfied with the procedures. There were no serious complications related to the subtalar arthroscopy. Conclusion: Subtalar arthroscopy appears to be safe and highly accurate procedure for subtalar pathology, although it requires technical expertise.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.26-37
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• 2016

As activities and convenience of residents in outdoor spaces in apartment houses have been considered important, strategies for making outdoor spaces in apartment houses healing spaces have emerged as a major interest. The purpose of this study is to draw elements for planning healing to create healing spaces in collective housing areas and to present design guidelines. The findings of this study are as follows. Functional elements of a healing environment were classified into safe environment, therapeutic environment, ancillary environment, orientation-reinforcing environment, amenities, and social environment. Outdoor spaces in collective housing areas were divided into collective housing entrance areas, internal and external spread areas, outdoor activity areas, and areas by theme. First, collective housing entrance areas should be planned in such a manner that residents can feel the area is private and easy to recognize. Second, internal and external spread areas should be planned in such a manner that they are easy to access and communicate with neighbors. Third, outdoor activity areas should be divided into an open space, resting space, playing space, and sports space. Open spaces should be planned in such a manner that they can command a fine view and respect the privacy of nearby residents. Resting spaces should be equipped with a shelter that protects users from direct sunlight, rain, and snow as well as include a movable bench. Playing spaces should be built considering development of children's curiosity, adventurous spirit, character, stimulation, and physical health. Playing spaces should be designed in such a manner that roadways and sidewalks can be separated for safe traffic. Sport spaces should be planned in such a manner that they can be associated with a pavilion and trail that provide residents with an opportunity to communicate with each other and rest. Fourth, spaces by theme are classified into sense garden, therapeutic garden, experiential garden, and learning garden. Sense gardens are a small garden based on the five senses. Sense gardens should be designed in such a manner that they can improve users' mental and physical health through programs that stimulate the sense of sight, auditory sense, and olfactory sense. Therapeutic gardens should be designed in such a manner that they can provide a comfortable and relaxing space by minimizing noise. It is advisable for therapeutic gardens to be equipped with a medicinal herb garden, meditation garden, and sense garden. Experiential and learning gardens should be designed in such a manner that they can provide users with a space in which they can enjoy nature and leisure activities. It is advisable for experiential and learning gardens to be equipped with a tea garden, vegetable garden, and camping garden. Healing programs should be designed in such a manner that users can feel relaxed by providing a healing environment, making the most of the natural environment. Further research on evaluating whether the findings of this study are effective in healing in a qualitative and quantitative manner is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.102-113
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• 2020

In this study, anti-arthritic effect of the mixed extract of radiation mutant Perilla frutescens var. crispa and Atractylodes macrophala koidz was investigated. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay in RAW 264.7 cells. The anti-inflammatory effect of mixed extracts was determined through measurement of the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO), release of inflammatory cytokines and expression of NF-κB, COX-2 and iNOS in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells after treatment of mixed extracts (5, 10, 25 ㎍/㎖). We showed that the mixed extracts was not toxic in the dose of 5, 10, 25 ug/ml, and significantly inhibited production of nitric oxide and ROS, cytokines including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and inflammatory proteins including NF-κB, COX-2 and iNOS in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, the mixed extract inhibited the type II collagen induced arthritis in DBA mice in the dose of 66.5 and 133mg/kg/day. Therefore, we suggest that mixed extract of radiation mutant Perilla frutescens var. crispa and Atractylodes macrophala koidz can be developed as a raw material for health functional food and therapeutics to treat the inflammatory arthritis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.595-601
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• 2003

Background: It has been known that the most effective treatment method of hyperhidrosis is video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathetic nerve block. Postoperative compensatory hyperhidrosis and anhidrosis are major factors that decrease the postoperative satisfaction. Although sympathetic rami have been selectively blocked to decrease the complications, technical difficulties and excessive bleeding have prevented the universal application. Material and Method: Three pre-fixative cadavers were dissected before clinical application. Bilateral sympathetic chains were exposed in supine position after the whole anterior chest wall was removed. Second and third sympathetic rami were blocked using clips. After the sympathetic chains including ganglia were removed, we evaluated the extents of rami block. Twenty-five patients were subjected to the clinical application. Surgeries were performed in semi-fowlers position under general anesthesia and bilateral ventilation. 2 mm thoracoscopy and 5 mm trocar were intro-duced through third and fourth intercostal space, respectively. Second and third sympathetic rami were blocked using thoracoscopic clips. The postoperative complications, satisfaction, and compensatory hyperhidrosis rate were evaluated retrospectively. Result: Sympathetic rami were completely blocked in cadaver dissection study Hyper-hidrosis symptom was improved in all patients without operative complication. Operative time was shorter than that of traditional ramicotomy. All patients, except four, were satisfied with postoperative palmar hyperhidrosis. Com-pensatory hyperhidrosis was more severely happened in fifteen patients (60%). The remaining six patients had no complaint. Two patients had a minimal degree of gustatory hyperhidrosis. Conclusion: This operative method had shorter operative time and less complication rate, compared with traditional ramicotomy Operative success rate was similar to the traditional syrnpathicotorny; lower extent and occurrence rate of compensatory hyperhidrosis. The thoracic sympathetic rami clipping was suggested as an alternative method for treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.230-235
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• 2005

Purpose: To evaluate the contralateral breast dose using a virtual wedge compared with that using a Physical wedge and an open beam in a Siemens linear accelerator. Materials and Methods: The contralateral breast dose was measured using diodes placed on a humanoid phantom. Diodes were placed at 5.5 cm (position 1), 9.5 cm (position 2), and 14 cm (position 3) along the medial-lateral line from the medial edge of the treatment field. A 6-MV photon beam was used with tangential irradiation technique at 50 and 230 degrees of gantry angle. Asymmetrically collimated $17{\times}10cm$ field was used. for the first set of experiment, four treatment set-ups were used, which were an open medial beam with a 30-degree wedged lateral beam (physical and virtual wedges, respectively) and a 15-degree wedged medial beam with a 15-degree wedged lateral beam (physical and virtual wedges, respectively). The second set of experiment consists of setting with medial beam without wedge, a 15-degree wedge, and a 50-degree wedge (physical and virtual wedges, respectively). Identical monitor units were delivered. Each set of experiment was repeated for three times. Results: In the first set of experiment, the contralateral breast dose was the highest at the position 1 and decreased in order of the position 2 and 3. The contralateral breast dose was reduced with open beam on the medial side ($2.70{\pm}1.46%$) compared to medial beam with a wedge (both physical and virtual) ($3.25{\pm}1.59%$). The differences were larger with a physical wedge ($0.99{\pm}0.18%$) than a virtual wedge ($0.10{\pm}0.01%$) at all positions. The use of a virtual wedge reduced the contralateral breast dose by 0.12% to 1.20% of the proscribed dose compared to a physical wedge with same technique. In the second experiment, the contralateral breast dose decreased in order of the open beam, the virtual wedge, and the physical wedge at the position 1, and it decreased in order of a physical wedge, an open beam, and a virtual wedge at the position 2 and 3. Conclusion: The virtual wedge equipped in a Siemens linear accelerator was found to be useful in reducing dose to the contralateral breast. Our additional finding was that the surface dose distribution from the Siemens accelerator was different from a Varian accelerator.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2007

Objetives : Identification of target genes for ethanol in neurons is important for understanding its molecular and cellular mechanism of action and the neuropathological changes seen in alcoholics. The purpose of this study is to identify of altered gene expression after acute treatmet of ethanol in rat gliom cells. Methods : We used high density cDNA microarray chip to measure the expression patterns of multiple genes in cultured rat glioma cells. DNA microarrays allow for the simultaneous measurement of the expression of several hundreds of genes. Results : After comparing hybridized signals between control and ethanol treated groups, we found that treatment with ethanol increased the expression of 15 genes and decreased the expression of 12 genes. Upregulated genes included Orthodenticle(Drosophila) homolog 1, procollagen type II, adenosine A2a receptor, GATA bindning protein 2. Downregulated genes included diacylglycerol kinase beta, PRKC, Protein phosphatase 1, clathrin-associated protein 17, nucleoporin p58, proteasome. Conclusion : The gene changes noted were those related to the regulation of transcription, signal transduction, second messenger systems. modulation of ischemic brain injury, and neurodengeneration. Although some of the genes were previously known to be ethanol responsive, we have for the most part identified novel genes involved in the brain response to ethanol.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.255-263
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• 2014

The dosimetry of very small fields is challenging for several reasons including a lack of lateral electronic equilibrium, large dose gradients, and the size of detector in respect to the field size. The objective of this work was to evaluate the suitability of a new commercial synthetic diamond detector, namely, the PTW 60019 microDiamond, for the small field dosimetry in cyberknife photon beams of 6 different collimator size (from 5 mm to 30 mm). Measurements included dose linearity, dose rate dependence, output factors (OF), percentage depth doses (PDD) and off center ratio (OCR). The results were compared to those of pinpoint ionization chamber, diamond detector, microLion liquid Ionization chamber and diode detector. The dose linearity results for the microDiamond detector showed good linearly proportional to dose. The microDiamond detector showed little dose rate dependency throughout the range of 100~600 MU/min, while microLion liquid Ionization chamber showed a significant discrepancy of approximately 5.8%. The OF measured with microDiamond detector agreed within 3.8% with those measured with diode. PDD curves measured with silicon diode and diamond detector agreed well for all the field sizes. In particular, slightly sharper penumbras are obtained by the microDiamond detector, indicating a good spatial resolution. The results obtained confirm that the new PTW 60019 microDiamond detector is suitable candidate for application in small radiation fields dosimetry.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.261-268
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• 2004

Background : The resurgence of tuberculosis and outbreaks of multidrug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis have increased the emphasis for the development of new susceptibility testing of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis for the effective treatment and control of the disease. Conventional drug susceptibility testings, such as those using egg-based or agar-based media have some limits, such as the time required and difficulties in determining critical inhibitory concentrations, but these are still being used in many diagnostic laboratories because of no better lternatives, considering cost and accuracy. To overcome these limits, a rapid and simple method for new susceptibility testing, using live and dead assays, was applied for a bacterial cell viability assay to distinguish dead from live bacterial cells based on two-color fluorescence. Materials and Methods Strains : Forty strains were used in this study, 20 susceptible to all antituberculosis drugs and the other 20 resistant to the four first line antituberculosis drugs isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol. Antibiotics : The four antibiotics were dissolved in 7H9 broth to make the following solutions: $0.1{\mu}g\;isoniazid(INH)/m{\ell}$, $0.4{\mu}g\;rifampicin(RMP)/m{\ell}$, $4.0{\mu}g\;streptomycin(SM)/m{\ell}$ and $4.0{\mu}g\;ethambutol(EMB)/m{\ell}$. Results : Live and dead Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells fluoresced green and red with the acridin (Syto 9) and propidium treatments, respectively. These results are very well accorded with conventional drug susceptibility testing by proportional method on Lowensen-Jensen media (L-J) containing 4 drugs (INH, RMP, EMB and SM), showing a 93.7 % accordance rate in susceptible strains and 95% in resistant strains. Conclusion : The results of the drug susceptibility testing using the live and dead bacterial cell assay showed high accordance rates compared with the conventional proportion method on L-J. This finding suggests that the live and dead bacterial cell assay can be used as an alternative to conventional drug susceptibility testing for M. tuberculosis strains.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2009

Implantation itself is governed by an array of endocrine, paracrine and autocrine modulators, of embryonic and maternal origin. Window of implantation is the unique temporal and spatial expression of factors allows the embryo to implant via signaling, appositioning, attachment, and invasion in a specific time frame of $2{\sim}4$ days. When the embryo has arrived in the uterine cavity, a preprogrammed sequence of events occurs, which involves the production and secretion of a multitude of biochemical factors such as cytokines, growth factors, and adhesion molecules by the endometrium and the embryo, thus leading to the formation of a receptive endometrium. Cytokines such as LIF, CSF-1, and IL-1 have all been shown to play important roles in the cascade of events that leads to implantation. Integrin, L-selectin ligands, glycodelin, mucin-1, HB-EGF and pinopodes are involved in appositioning and attachment. The embryo also produces cytokines and growth factors (ILs, VEGF) and receptors for endometrial signals such as LIF, CSF-1, IGF and HB-EGF. The immune system and angiogenesis play an important role. The usefulness of these factors to assess endometrial receptivity and to estimate the prognosis for pregnancy in natural and artificial cycles remains to be proven. Integrins, pinopodes, glycodelin and LIF (from biopsies) are promising candidates; from uterine flushings, glycodelin and LIF are also candidates. The ideal serum marker is not available, but VEGF, glycodelin and CSF have some clinical implications. Further evaluation that includes larger groups of infertile women and fertile controls are needed to elucidate whether their presence in plasma, flushing fluid, or endometrial samples can be used as some kind of a screening tool to assess endometrial function and prognosis for pregnancy before and after artificial reproductive therapy. A better understanding of their function in human implantation may lead to therapeutic intervention, thereby improving the success rate in reproduction treatment. New molecular techniques are becoming available for measuring both embryonic and endometrial changes prior to and during implantation. The use of predictive sets of markers may prove to be more reliable than a single marker. Ultimately, the aim is to use these tools to increase implantation in artificial cycles and consequently improve live-birth rates.