• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.114-117
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• 2017

A 42-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of low back pain and intermittent right thigh pain. Twelve weeks before admission, the patient received intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) at a local hospital. The patient still reported low back pain after the procedure that was managed with narcotic analgesics. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, and his referring physician thought the likely diagnosis was spondylodiscitis at the L4-5 spinal segment with a small epidural abscess. At admission to our department, the patient reported aggravated low back pain. Blood test results, including the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels, were slightly elevated. Biopsy samples of the L4, L5 vertebral bodies and disk were obtained. The material underwent aerobic, anaerobic, fungal, mycobacterial cultures and histologic examination. Results of all cultures were negative. Histologically, necrosis of the bone was evident from the number of empty osteocyte lacunae. In addition, there was no evidence of infection based on biopsy results. No antibiotic treatment was administered on discharge. Repeat computed tomography and MRI performed 12 months after IDET showed a bony defect in the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies, and a decrease in the size of the L4-5 intervertebral disc lesion. We report a case of lumbar vertebral osteonecrosis induced by IDET and discuss etiology and radiologic features.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.293-297
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• 2009

This paper describes a real-time reliable measurement and analysis system for ubiquitous healthcare based on IEEE802.15.4 standard. In order to obtain and monitor physiological body signals continuously, wearable pulse oximeter is designed in wrist that could used to measure oxygen saturation of a patient unobtrusively. The measured data was transferred to a central PC or server by using wireless sensor nodes via a wireless sensor network for storage and analysis purposes. LabVIEW server program was designed to monitor and process the measured photoplethysmogram(PPG) to accelerated plethysmogram(APG) by appling second order derivatives in server PC. These experimental results demonstrate that APG can precisely describe the features of an individual's PPG and be used as estimation of vascular elasticity for blood circulation.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.1296-1305
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• 2018

A patient with an epigastralgia was treated with Korean medicine for the short-term period of five days under admission care. In this case report, we discuss the efficacy and safety of short-term treatment using Korean medicine methods on a patient with an epigastralgia by evaluating a numerical rating scale, agastrointestinal symptom questionnaire, clinical features, and blood tests. The complex methods comprise purgation therapy using Crotonis Fructus, Korean herbal medication, acupuncture and moxibustion. Throughout the purgation therapy with Crotonis Fructus, the patient reported improvement in both her pain score and dyspepsia index. This case showed that Korean medicine acted not only fast, but also effective for treating epigastralgia patients diagnosed with functional dyspepsia.

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.447-458
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• 2018

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinopathies among reproductive-age women. Its metabolic features often overlap with those associated with metabolic syndrome (MS) and insulin resistance syndrome (IRS). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of MS and IRS in infertile Vietnamese women with PCOS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary fertility centre at Hue University Hospital from June 2016 to November 2017. A total of 441 infertile women diagnosed with PCOS based on the revised 2003 Rotterdam consensus criteria were enrolled. MS and IRS were defined based on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/American Heart Association Adult Treatment Panel III 2005 and American College of Endocrinology IRS 2003 criteria, respectively. Complete clinical and biochemical measurements of 318 women were available for analysis. Independent predictors of MS and IRS were identified using multivariate logistic regression. Results: The overall prevalence of MS and IRS in women with PCOS was 10.4% and 27.0%, respectively. We identified older age (>30 years) and obesity as independent predictors of MS and IRS. Elevated anti-$M{\ddot{u}}llerian$ hormone levels increased the risk of IRS, but not that of MS. Conclusion: MS and IRS are prevalent disorders among infertile Vietnamese women with PCOS. PCOS is not solely a reproductive problem. Screening and early intervention for MS and/or IRS based on anthropometric, metabolic, and reproductive hormone risk factors should be an integral part of fertility care.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.238-241
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• 2018

Williams syndrome is a rare congenital disorder with various physical abnormalities and characterized by facial, oral, and dental features. Individuals with Williams syndrome typically have eating disorders in the early childhood, which lead to prolonged night feeding. Prolonged night feeding is a risk factor for rampant dental caries. Williams syndrome is caused by the microdeletion of chromosome 7, resulting in elastin deficiency. Elastin is integral to cardiovascular health. Many patients with Williams syndrome have complex cardiovascular abnormalities that must be considered a part of dental management. Complications related to cardiovascular diseases may induce adverse effects such as dangerously elevated blood pressure. This may occur in patients during stressful dental treatment. In addition, characteristics of auditory hyperalgesia and anxiety disorders among patients with William syndrome, complicate receiving routine dental management. Therefore, dental treatment under sedation or general anesthesia may be preferable for patients with Williams syndrome; in particular, patients who are very uncooperative and/or needs extensive dental treatment. A thorough evaluation of each patient's physical condition is required before making decisions regarding dental treatment. Careful monitoring and preparation for emergencies are very important during and shortly after dental treatment under general anesthesia or sedation. Monitoring is critical until vital signs have stabilized and return to normal. A 28-month-old man diagnosed as having Williams syndrome, visited the Dental Hospital of ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ University for the management of rampant dental caries. We reported on the management of this patient who had peripheral pulmonic stenosis, and received dental treatment under general anesthesia. We also reviewed the characteristics of Williams syndrome and discussed considerations for dental treatment under general anesthesia.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.12
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• pp.29.1-29.11
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• 2018

Background: Respiratory troubles have economic impacts in countries where livestock industry is an important segment of the agricultural sector, as well as these problems may cause significant economic losses for bovine producers. Various practical methods are used to assess diseases that affect the bovine respiratory system. Ultrasonography is a noninvasive tool that has been used frequently in diagnosis of various animal diseases. The present study was designed to establish whether thoracic ultrasonography is a diagnostic tool for detection of respiratory troubles in weaned buffalo and cattle calves, as well as to assess its prognostic value in comparison with clinical respiratory scores. Thirty five (15 buffalo and 20 cattle) calves were included. Twelve (6 buffalo and 6 cattle) clinically healthy calves were enrolled as controls. Results: Based on physical examinations, clinical respiratory scores (CRS), ultrasound lung scores (ULS) and postmortem findings, animals were classified into 4 groups as pulmonary emphysema (n = 8), interstitial pulmonary syndrome (n = 7), bronchopneumonia (n = 12), and pleurisy (n = 8). The mean values of CRS and ULS were significantly higher in diseased calves (P < 0.01). In calves with pulmonary emphysema and interstitial syndrome, thoracic ultrasonography revealed numerous comet-tail artifacts, which varied in numbers and imaging features. Furthermore, variable degrees of pulmonary consolidation with alveolograms and bronchograms were noticed in bronchopneumonic calves. In addition, thick irregular or fragmented pleura with pleural effusions and fibrin shreds were imaged in calves with pleurisy. A weak correlation was calculated between CRS and ULS (r = 0.55, P < 0.01). Hematologically, the counts of white blood cells, activities of aspartate aminotransferase and partial tensions of carbon dioxide were significantly increased in all diseased groups. Serum concentrations of total globulins were higher in claves with bronchopneumonia (P < 0.05). The partial tension of oxygen was decreased in all diseased calves (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Thoracic ultrasonography is a diagnostic tool for various lung troubles and assessment the grade and severity of pulmonary diseases, as well as it can be used as a follow-up tool for evaluating the prognosis of respiratory troubles and monitoring the efficacy of therapies.

• BLOOD RESEARCH
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.276-280
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• 2018

Background Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) exhibits profound heterogeneity in its clinical course. Its clinicohematological and cytogenetic features play a significant role in determining the clinical course and in predicting the treatment response and prognosis. In this context, 17p deletion is known to predict a poor prognosis, as these cases are refractory to conventional therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the clinicohematological characteristics, outcomes, and prognostic factors among CLL patients with and without del 17p in Pakistan. Methods This prospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (Rawalpindi, Pakistan) between January 2013 and December 2017. Patients were diagnosed based on the International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia IWCLL criteria, their clinicohematological parameters were recorded, and cytogenetic analyses were performed. The time from diagnosis to treatment and the 2-year overall survival rate were also evaluated. Results We evaluated 130 CLL cases, including 24 patients (18.5%) with del 17p, who included 18 men (75%) and 6 women (25%). The median age was 68 years. Binet stage C was detected at the presentation in 16 patients (67%). Treatment was administered to 14 patients (70%) at a median interval of 11 months (range, 0-28 mo) after diagnosis. The overall response rate was 64.3%, the median event-free survival was 9 months (range, 1-23 mo), and the 2-year overall survival rate was 65%. Conclusion Del 17p is relatively common in Pakistan, and patients harboring this deletion had poor treatment response and survival outcomes.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.65-73
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• 2020

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a single-gene disease of the cerebral small blood vessels caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene on chromosome 19. Although CADASIL was known as a rare disease, recent research has suggested that the NOTCH variants could be found frequently even in the general population. The main clinical features included recurrent stroke, migraine, psychiatric symptoms, and progressive cognitive decline. On brain magnetic resonance imaging, patients with CADASIL showed multifocal white matter hyperintensity lesions, lacunar infarcts, microbleeds, and brain atrophy. Among them, lacunar infarcts and brain atrophy are important in predicting the clinical outcomes of patients with CADASIL. In the Jeju National University Hospital, we have diagnosed 213 CADASIL patients from 2004 to 2020. Most NOTCH3 mutations were located in exon 11 (94.4%), and p.Arg544Cys was the most common mutation. The mean age at diagnosis was 61.0±12.8 years. The most common presenting symptoms were ischemic stroke (24.4%), followed by cognitive impairment(15.0%), headache (8.9%), and dizziness(8.0%). Although the exact prevalence of CADASIL in Jeju is still unknown, the disease prevalence could be as high as 1% of the population considering the prevalence reported in Taiwan. Therefore, it is necessary to discover efficient biomarkers and genetic tests that can accurately screen and diagnose patients suspected of having CADASIL in this region. Ultimately, it is urgent to explore the exact pathogenesis of the disease to identify leading substances of treatment potential, and for this, multi-disciplinary research through active support from the Jeju provincial government as well as the national government is essential.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognosis, and other clinical features, such as time to surgery and the amount of transfusion, of small bowel injury (SBI) accompanied by liver injury (LI). Methods: We investigated 221 patients with SBI who visited an emergency center from October 2000 to March 2019. We excluded patients with injuries that directly led to mortality, and the remaining 149 patients were divided into the SBI alone (SBI-A) group and the SBI accompanied by LI (SBI-LI) group. Data were collected for preoperative and surgical outcome variables, and the treatment results were compared between groups. Results: The SBI-LI group had a higher mortality rate than the SBI-A group (22.4% vs. 14.3%), but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.061). There were no significant differences between the SBI-A and SBI-LI groups, except for the amount of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (SBI-A: 3.53±0.1 vs. SBI-LI: 8.38±0.7 packs, p=0.035) and the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay (SBI-A: 6.7±0.2 vs. SBI-LI: 11.1±0.5 days, p=0.047). Conclusions: The SBI-LI group required more RBC transfusions and longer ICU stays than the SBI-A group. SBI accompanied by LI may show higher mortality than SBI alone; however, since the difference was not statistically significant in the present study, larger-scale follow-up research is needed.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.230-238
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• 2021

This study attempted to determine the characteristic features of postpartum dairy cows during their return to estrus. Moreover, it investigated the effects of abnormal ovarian cycles (AOC) on subsequent reproductive performance and the relationship between normal ovarian cycles (NOC) and the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level postpartum. Incidentally, 56.3% of the Holstein cows and 66.7% of the Jersey cows had NOC, whereas the 43.7% and 33.3% of the Holstein and Jersey, respectively, had AOC. Within 100 days of calving, the cows with AOC had significantly lower rates of artificial insemination (AI) submission as well as pregnancy and a significantly longer interval to first AI, as compared to that in the cows with NOC. Additionally, the cows with NOC had a significantly higher first AI conception rate than that in the cows with AOC. In this study, of the 32 Holstein cows, 8 resumed their ovarian cycle within 20 days of calving, 10 resumed the cycle with 21-40 days of calving, 8 within 41-60 days of calving, while the remaining 6 did not resume their ovarian cycles until 60 days postpartum. Furthermore, the likelihood ratios of incidence of NOC are 0.93, 1.94, and 0.38, respectively, in the groups with BUN levels < 15, 15-19.9, and ≥ 20 mg/dl. In conclusion, AOC postpartum adversely affects reproductive performance such as AI submission rate, pregnancy rate, interval to first AI and first AI conception rate; moreover, an increase or decrease in the BUN levels beyond 15-19.9 mg/dL leads to the AOC postpartum.