• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.59 no.6
• /
• pp.637-642
• /
• 2016

Objective : Although many treatment modalities have been introduced for trigeminal neuralgia (TN), the long-term clinical results remain unsatisfactory. It has been particularly challenging to determine an appropriate treatment strategy for patients who have responded poorly to initial therapies. We analyzed the surgical outcomes in TN patients who failed prior treatments. Methods : We performed a retrospective analysis of 37 patients with recurrent or persistent TN symptoms who underwent surgery at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2014. Patients with follow-up data of at least one year were included. The prior treatment modalities of the 37 patients included microvascular decompression (MVD), gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS), and percutaneous procedures such as radiofrequency rhizotomy (RFR), balloon compression, and glycerol rhizotomy (GR). The mean follow-up period was 69.9 months (range : 16-173). The mean interval between the prior treatment and second surgery was 26 months (range : 7-123). We evaluated the surgical outcomes using the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity scale. Results : Among the 37 recurrent or persistent TN patients, 22 underwent MVD with partial sensory rhizotomy (PSR), 8 received MVD alone, and 7 had PSR alone. Monitoring of the surgical treatment outcomes via the BNI pain intensity scale revealed 8 (21.6%) patients with a score of I, 13 (35.1%) scoring II, 13 (35.1%) scoring III, and 3 (8.2%) scoring IV at the end of the follow-up period. Overall, 91.8% of patients had good surgical outcomes. With regard to postoperative complications, 1 patient had transient cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea (2.7%), another had a subdural hematoma (2.7%), and facial sensory changes were noted in 8 (21.1%) patients after surgery. Conclusion : Surgical interventions, such as MVD and PSR, are safe and very effective treatment modalities in TN patients who failed initial or prior treatments. We presume that the combination of MVD with PSR enabled us to obtain good short- and long-term surgical outcomes. Therefore, aggressive surgical treatment should be considered in patients with recurrent TN despite failure of various treatment modalities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.174-181
• /
• 2009

The present study is a preliminary attempt to effectively incorporate the environmental issue of coastal erosion into the environmental assessment process of Korea. We assess the status of the environmental assessment on coastal erosion for the previous development plans and provide potential directions for the improvement. The considerable project plans should be screened for the impact of coastal erosion, which occupies about 20% of the total project plans reviewed, and the ratio increased with project scale. In addition to screening process, most process including scoping, baseline study, impact assessment, and follow-up need to be improved. The potential directions of improvement are provided in terms of appropriate guideline development, employment of cumulative impact assessment, follow-up improvement and rearrangement of the preparation regulation of environmental assessment. Emphasis is given for follow-up process to review post-monitoring period, to employ science compensation, and to consider the establishment of relevant institution. Final suggestion is made for the establishments of comprehensive national plan to manage coastal erosion and streamlined environmental process from strategic to project levels based on the national plan.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.535-543
• /
• 2015

Integrated control strategies are important for sustainable control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, despite their challenges for their effective implementation. With the support of Good Neighbors International in collaboration with National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania, integrated control applying mass drug administration (MDA), health education using PHAST, and improved safe water supply has been implemented on Kome Island over 5 years for controlling schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). Baseline surveys for schistosomiasis and STHs was conducted before implementation of any integrated control strategies, followed by 4 cross-sectional follow-up surveys on randomly selected samples of schoolchildren and adults in 10 primary schools and 8 villages, respectively, on Kome islands. Those follow-up surveys were conducted for impact evaluation after introduction of control strategies interventions in the study area. Five rounds of MDA have been implemented from 2009 along with PHAST and improved water supply with pumped wells as other control strategies for complementing MDA. A remarkable steady decline of schistosomiasis and STHs was observed from 2009 to 2012 with significant trends in their prevalence decline, and thereafter infection rate has remained at a low sustainable control. By the third follow-up survey in 2012, Schistosoma mansoni infection prevalence was reduced by 90.5% and hookworm by 93.3% among schoolchildren while in adults the corresponding reduction was 83.2% and 56.9%, respectively. Integrated control strategies have successfully reduced S. mansoni and STH infection status to a lower level. This study further suggests that monitoring and evaluation is a crucial component of any large-scale STH and schistosomiasis intervention.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.70-82
• /
• 2000

This is a study to generate a theoretical base for the development of wildlife corridor as a solution to the problems of wildlife population size reduction and declining bio-diversity resulting from the fragmented habitats caused by road constructions. This study seeks to examine and define techniques in very aspect of wildlife corridor including planning, site selection, design and development, and maintenance through an actual application. The results of this study are as follows. 1) The wildlife corridor should be developed in an approach supplementing a landscape ecological approach and a restoration ecological approach bilaterally. To this end, systematic methodology and process are required. 2) It was restored an ecosystem as close as possible go to the forest ecosystem before road development. In addition, in order to allow it to function as an ecological corridor, topography restoration, stream development, and ecological plantation were implemented. 3) The result of monitoring activities that continued for one year since the development confirmed the migration and inhabitation of a number of animals including small mammals. It is judged that it functions as a corridor in fragmented habitats as initially expected. 4) Through continuous monitoring in the future, the effects of corridor development on ecological restoration need to be reviewed in a long-term perspective. There is also a need to develop and refine a comprehensive maintenance plan for wildlife corridors and their surroundings. Based on such study results, actual data on the development of wildlife corridor should be accumulated. In follow-up studies, after continuous monitoring for a long period of time, the effects of wildlife corridor development should be evaluated comprehensively and wildlife corridor applicable to Korea should be standardized by correcting disclosed problems.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
• /
• v.62 no.2
• /
• pp.257-263
• /
• 2013

In case of image observation equipments, CCTV for short distance visual field is usually installed and operated mostly as the means of crime-prevention. However, the extensive demand for monitoring problems in case of the increase in intelligent crimes and disasters has led to the necessity of the development of long-distance observation equipments embedded with Night View functions. In case of the Night View equipments, the relevant market is set up to be focused mostly on Thermal Observation Device(hereinafter, TOD), but some shortcomings such as the limitation of image visibility and excessive maintenance cost, etc. have actually caused the necessity of new long distance Night View equipment. Moreover there might follow lots of difficulties in long-distance visualization in the event that irregular reflection is generated by minute particles in the atmosphere such as fog, smog, and dust, etc. These factors are motivate the work presented in this study. Our study is aimed at the realization of Pulsed Laser Illuminator and newly proposed Range-Gated image acquisition technology. And also the implementation of Tracker for continuous trace of the objects of interest from the obtained sequence images.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.415-424
• /
• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Existing evidence on lifestyle modification programs for weight loss is limited by the high attrition rate of such programs. Identifying predictors of adherence to a lifestyle modification program could result in program improvement. However, little is known about behavior-specific adherence and its psychological predictors. This study aimed to examine the psychological predictors of adherence after one-month participation in a community-based lifestyle modification program among Chinese overweight and obese adults in Hong Kong. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 205 Chinese overweight and obese adults aged $38.9{\pm}10.5years$ completed the study. Data were collected at baseline and after one month using self-reported questionnaires, which assessed knowledge (self-developed scale), motivation (Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire), stage of change (Stage of Exercise Scale) and self-efficacy (Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale). At one month, a 4-day dietary recall and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form were used to assess dietary and physical activity (PA) adherence. Food and PA diaries were examined to indicate self-monitoring. Program attendance was tracked between baseline and one-month follow-up. RESULTS: After one month, participants reported high dietary adherence, attendance, and adherence to self-monitoring but low PA adherence. Multiple regression analyses suggested that diet self-efficacy (baseline) and nutrition knowledge (one-month change) were independent predictors of dietary adherence score at one month, whereas autonomous PA motivation (baseline) and PA self-efficacy (both baseline and one-month change) were independent predictors of PA adherence score at one month. No significant psychological predictor was identified for attendance or self-monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the effect of psychological factors on adherence differs between diet and PA adherence outcomes. To promote adherence, practitioners should assess self-efficacy, knowledge, and motivation at the beginning of a weight-loss program and explore behavior-specific strategies to improve knowledge and self-efficacy. The results of this study have direct implications for program improvements.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.55-63
• /
• 2000

Objectives : Fatigue is a common symptom experienced by everyone. Nevertheless, clinicians have a tendency of ignoring it since fatigue itself is not considered a distinct disease. Actually, some limited research about chronic fatigue syndrome has been made within the country, but in reality, the probability of getting this syndrome is still considered very low due to the strict diagnosis standard. Therefore, there are tremendous numbers of patients who do not get enough attention from clinicians for their fatigue symptoms only because technically they do not belong to the syndrome. Therefore, a basic statistical database must be compiled and patient management programs must be developed. To accomplish this, we conducted this study by measuring degree of fatigue, clinical characteristics and processes of Oriental medical treatment of fatigue patients. Methods : The objects of this study were selected from the new patients who entered the tonification Clinic in Kynnghee Oriental Medical Center between August 11, 2000 and October 7, 2000. Their main complaint was fatigue and they did not suffer from any physical or mental problem either historically or at the time of the study. The objects were divided into two groups based on duration of fatigue; fatigue under 6 months is considered as acute fatigue and fatigue for longer than 6 months is chronic fatigue. The prepared survey sheet for measuring fatigue degree was distributed to the patients with their consent. The patients were divided again into three subgroups : the fIrst group went through 1st test and constitution test after tonification clinic; the second one went into constitution test skipping Ist measuring test; the third one went into only tonification clinic with neither 1st measuring test nor constitution test. Results : The total number of object patients was 47 and 80% of them were considered as 'fatigue patients' by the Chalder scale. Among all patients, 29.5% requested treatment for chronic fatigue, which is over 6 months. The average of scale II for all patients was 14.8, which indicates moderate fatigue. The averages of scale II-1, II-2, II-3 were respectively 7.5, 5.9, and 3.7 so the most common complaint was physical fatigue. When compared scale II based on occupations, student group scored 6.9 and office man group scored 8.5 in scale II-1, physical fatigue, but it was not significant. Conclusions : Numerous number of patients have come to Oriental medical centers or hospitals in Korea. Therefore, deeper statistical research and follow-up-monitoring are reqnired in the Oriental medical academic world. In this study, among all patients who entered the tonification Clinic in Kyunghee Oriental Medical Center, 29.5% requested treatment for chronic fatigue, which is over 6 months. This kind of statistical report is the first time trial in the Oriental medical academy world. Through these steps, more objective treatment can be made and standards of prognosis assessment can be established.tablished.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.30-38
• /
• 2001

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for monitoring the response to radiation therapy in metastatic bone marrow of the spines. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one patients with metastatic bone marrow of the spines were examined with MRI. Diffusion-weighted and spin-echo MRI were performed in 10 patients before and after radiation therapy with or without systemic chemotherapy, and performed in 11 patients after radiation therapy alone. Follow up spin-echo and diffusion-weighted MRI were obtained at 1 to 6 months after radiation therapy according to patients' condition. The diffusion-weighted imaging sequence was based on reversed fast imaging with steady-state precession (PSIF). Signal intensity changes of the metastatic bone marrows before and after radiation therapy on conventional spin-echo sequence MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI were evaluated. Bone marrow contrast ratios and signal-to-noise ratios before and after radiation therapy of diffusion- weighted MRI were analyzed. Results: All metastatic bone marrow of the spinal bodies were hyperintense to normal bone marrow of the spinal bodies on pretreatment diffusion-weighted MRI and positive bone marrow contrast ratios(p<0.001), and hypointense to normal spinal bodies on posttreatment diffusion-weighted MRI and negative bone marrow contrast ratios(p<0.001). The signal to noise ratios after treatment decreased comparing with those of pretreatment. Decreased signal intensity of the metastatic bone marrows on diffusion-weighted MRI began to be observed at average more than one month after the initiation of the radiation therapy. Conclusion: These results suggest that diffusion-weighted MRI would be an excellent method for monitoring the response to therapy of metastatic bone marrow of the spinal bodies, however, must be investigated in a larger series of patients with longer follow up period.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.89-102
• /
• 2021

Even in an era where 8-meter class telescopes are common, small telescopes are considered very valuable research facilities since they are available for rapid follow-up or long term monitoring observations. To maximize the usefulness of small telescopes in Korea, we established the SomangNet, a network of 0.4-1.0 m class optical telescopes operated by Korean institutions, in 2020. Here, we give an overview of the project, describing the current participating telescopes, its scientific scope and operation mode, and the prospects for future activities. SomangNet currently includes 10 telescopes that are located in Australia, USA, and Chile as well as in Korea. The operation of many of these telescopes currently relies on operators, and we plan to upgrade them for remote or robotic operation. The latest SomangNet science projects include monitoring and follow-up observational studies of galaxies, supernovae, active galactic nuclei, symbiotic stars, solar system objects, neutrino/gravitational-wave sources, and exoplanets.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.463-471
• /
• 2017

Recently, the number of pet-owning households drastically increased and many people took their pets as lifelong companion animals and look after them like their children. Pet business has continued to increase gradually and the need for pet supplies has increased, too. Though there are a variety of pet supplies in pet dog market which takes up many parts in the pet market, there is no design guideline on pet supplies. Thus, there are many wrong pet supplies design created by wrong idea of people. Therefore, this study aims to suggest the guideline on pet supplies design focusing on the pet-monitoring system among the various pet products. So, the pet-monitoring robot was designed to monitor pet simply using smartphone anywhere on the trip and feed by using bowl that control the signal. This study figured out types and function of existing IP camera, reflected the behavior and physical characteristics of pets and suggested the design guideline which is minimum required as pet-monitoring products. Also, trial product for which design guide was applied was produced to observe the pet behavior and identify problems while operating trial product. However, there was limit in securing data and study period to examine the satisfaction of various pets since the subject of this study was dog and it's required to conduct follow-up study by observing continuously and improving the problems in future to secure more data.