• Clinical Endoscopy
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.615-625
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• 2022

Background/Aims: Mucosal incision-assisted biopsy (MIAB) for tissue acquisition (TA) from subepithelial lesions (SELs) is emerging as an alternative to endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided TA. Only a limited number of studies compared the diagnostic utility of MIAB and EUS for upper gastrointestinal (GI) SELs; therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search from January 2020 to January 2022 was performed to compare the diagnostic accuracy and safety of MIAB and EUS-guided TA for upper GI SELs. Results: Seven studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled technical success rate (risk ratio [RR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89-1.04) and procedural time (mean difference=-4.53 seconds; 95% CI, -22.38 to 13.31] were comparable between both the groups. The overall chance of obtaining a positive diagnostic yield was lower with EUS than with MIAB for all lesions (RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71-0.98) but comparable when using a fine-needle biopsy needle (RR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.83-1.04). The positive diagnostic yield of MIAB was higher for lesions <20 mm (RR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.89). Six studies reported no adverse events. Conclusions: MIAB can be considered an effective alternative to EUS-guided TA for upper GI SELs without an increased risk of adverse events.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.27-38
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• 2018

Background: Related to escalating health care costs and the questionable effectiveness of multiple interventions including lumbar facet joint interventions, cost effectiveness or cost utility analysis has become the cornerstone of evidence-based medicine influencing coverage decisions. Methods: Cost utility of therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks in managing chronic low back pain was performed utilizing data from a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial with a 2-year follow-up, with direct payment data from 2016. Based on the data from surgical interventions, utilizing the lowest proportion of direct procedural costs of 60%, total cost utility per quality adjusted life year (QALY) was determined by multiplying the derived direct cost at 1.67. Results: Patients in this trial on average received $5.6{\pm}2.6$ procedures over a period of 2 years, with average relief over a period of 2 years of $82.8{\pm}29.6$ weeks with $19{\pm}18.77$ weeks of improvement per procedure. Procedural cost for one-year improvement in quality of life showed USD $2,654.08. Estimated total costs, including indirect costs and drugs with multiplication of direct costs at 1.67, showed a cost of USD $4,432 per QALY. Conclusions: The analysis of therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks in the treatment of chronic low back pain shows clinical effectiveness and cost utility at USD $2,654.08 for the direct costs of the procedures, and USD $4,432 for the estimated overall cost per one year of QALY, in chronic persistent low back pain non-responsive to conservative management.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.79-88
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• 2015

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has emerged as one of the most promising biomarkers of renal epithelial injury. Numerous studies have presented the diagnostic and prognostic utility of urinary and plasma NGAL in patients with acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, renal injury after kidney transplantation, and other renal diseases. NGAL is a member of the lipocalin family that is abundantly expressed in neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages and is a mediator of the innate immune response. The biological significance of NGAL to hamper bacterial growth by sequestering iron-binding siderophores has been studied in a knock-out mouse model. Besides neutrophils, NGAL is detectable in most tissues normally encountered by microorganisms, and its expression is upregulated in epithelial cells during inflammation. A growing number of studies have supported the clinical utility of NAGL for detecting invasive bacterial infections. Several investigators including our group have reported that measuring NGAL can be used to help predict and manage urinary tract infections and acute pyelonephritis. This article summarizes the biology and pathophysiology of NGAL and reviews studies on the implications of NGAL in various renal diseases from acute kidney injury to acute pyelonephritis.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 1992

Minimal deterioration of cerebral perfusion or microanatomical changes were undetectable on conventional Brain CT or MRI. So evaluation of focal functional changes of the brain parenchyme is essential in chronic head injury patients, who did not show focal anatomical changes on these radiological studies. However, the patients who had longstanding neurologic sequelae following head injury, there had been no available imaging modalities for evaluating these patients precisely. Therefore we tried to detect the focal functional changes on the brain parenchyme using $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ Brain SPECT on the patients of chronic head injuries. Twenty three patients who had suffered from headache, memory dysfunction, personality change and insomnia lasting more than six months fellowing head injury were included in our cases, which showed no anatomical abnormalities on Brain CT or MRI. At first they underwent psychological test whether the symptoms were organic or not. Also we were able to evaluate the cerebral perfusion changes with $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ Brain SPECT in 22 patients among the 23, which five patients were focal and 17 patients were nonfocally diffuse perfusion changes. Thus we can predict the perfusion changes such as local vascular deterioration or functional defects using $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ Brain SPECT in the patients who had suffered from post-traumatic sequelae, which changes were undetectable on Brain CT or MRI.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 제어로봇시스템학회 1997년도 한국자동제어학술회의논문집; 한국전력공사 서울연수원; 17-18 Oct. 1997
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• pp.1428-1431
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• 1997

This paper presents an efficient fault diagnosis methodology for lare chemical processes. The methodology is based on a two-tier strategy, When a falt occurs in a process, a top tier identifies the sector (process part or unit) that may contain the fault(s). Afterwards, a bottom tier or lower level evaluates the suspicious sector. The process modeling methodology based on functionality-behavior relations of process units, is proposed and utilized in the top-tier. This methodology models a target process as sequences of functions and variables and their relations. In the bottom tier, each sector has a dedicated diagostic module, which is tailored to the available information or models of the sector. For the sectors selected in the top-tier diagnosis, each diagnostic module is executed to identify the actual faults within the sector. Teh utility of the methodology is illustrated in the diagnosis of the CSTR with heat exchanger.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권20호
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• pp.8613-8616
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• 2014

Background: The diagnostic approach to thyroid nodules involves ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB). We especially aimed to evaluate the contribution and the place of US-FNAB in preoperative evaluation of the malignant cases and draw attention to discordant cases diagnosed with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Materials and Methods: A total of 276 cases were retrospectively reviewed who were subsequently diagnosed with a malignancy and who underwent US-FNAB. Results: Some 45 were found to have previously undergone the US-FNAB procedure. Of the patients in whom the surgical specimen was diagnosed with a malignancy, 21 (46.7%) were diagnosed as malignant or suspicious for malignancy, and 24 (53.3%) were concluded as benign or insufficient for diagnosis. Patients with the diagnosis of PTMC outnumbering the others was a striking finding (11 cases, 24%). Conclusions: We suggest performing repeat aspiration biopsy considering sampling errors in cases where inconsistency exists between clinical findings and cytological results in thyroid nodules smaller than 10 mm in diameter and with suspicious findings on ultrasonography.

• 대한안전경영과학회지
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.303-309
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• 2004

Many system devices for fluoroscopic and general X-ray studies in diagnostic radiographic system have been being changed from analog mode to digital mode. In addition, among diagnostic imaging and radiologic examinations, fluoroscopic studies that requires functional diagnosis is being widely used. The video recording method of fluoroscopic studies has been useful in functional image diagnosis and dynamic image observation, but the utility of its image quality is being reduced because of limitation in setting play segments of the video player, inconvenience of play, difficulties in preserving reproduced images, the change of image quality, etc. In order to complement these shortages, it is necessary to facilitate access to patient diagnosis information such as storing, editing and sharing functional diagnosis images in response to the trend of the digitalization of digital radiographic & fluoroscopic system(DRF). Thus this study designed and implemented a device of storing functional dynamic images real time using a computer rather than existing video recording, aiming at contribution to functional image diagnosis.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.43-50
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• 2007

Analysis of intraepidermal nerve fibers using skin biopsy is a recently developed technique, providing diagnostic information on small fiber neuropathies. The specimens are obtained by 3 mm punch biopsy, which is safe and minimally invasive. Immunohistochemical staining by Protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 demonstrate not only intraepidermal nerve fibers but dermal structures, such as sweat gland and erector papillae. Up to now, many studies agree that intraepidermal nerve fiber density is dramatically reduced in various sensory neuropathies. The utility of density measure was confirmed with high sensitivity in the diagnosis of sensory neuropathy, comparable to sural nerve biopsy or quantitative sensory testing. Besides quantitative methods, morphological changes like axonal swelling and fragmentation can be used as predegenerative markers. This article reviews the technique of skin biopsy and clinical and experimental usefulness of skin biopsy in diagnosing and monitoring peripheral neuropathies.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.63-68
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• 2024

Background: Facial nerve palsy presents a significant healthcare challenge, impacting daily life and social interactions. This systematic review investigates the potential utility of ultrasonography as a diagnostic tool for facial nerve palsy. Methods: Electronic searches will be conducted across various databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central register of Controlled Trials), CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), KMBASE (Korean Medical Database), ScienceON, and OASIS (Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System), up to February 2024. The primary outcome will focus on ultrasonography-related parameters, such as facial nerve diameter and muscle thickness. Secondary outcomes will encompass clinical measurements, including facial nerve grading scales and electrodiagnostic studies. the risk of bias in individual study will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool, while the grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluations methodology will be utilized to evaluate the overall quality of evidence. Conclusion: This study aims to review existing evidence and evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of ultrasonography for peripheral facial nerve palsy.

• 대한세포병리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한세포병리학회 2007년도 제21차 춘계학술대회
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• pp.22-22
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• 2007