• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.995-999
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• 2015

Inductive sensors are versatile and economical devices that are widely used to measure a wide variety of physical variables, such as displacement, force, and pressure. In this paper, we propose a simple inductive sensor consisting of a thin partial ring and a coil set. The self-inductance of the sensor was estimated using magnetic circuit analysis and validated through finite element analysis (FEA). The natural frequency of the ring was estimated using Castigliano's theorem and the method of equivalent mass. The estimation was validated through experiments and FEA. A prototype sensor with a signal processing circuit is built and applied to noninvasively sense the pressure inside a flexible tube. The obtained sensor outputs show quadratic behavior with respect to the pressure. When fitted to a quadratic equation, the least-square measurement error was less than 2%. The results confirm the feasibility of pressure sensing using the proposed inductive sensor.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6637-6641
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• 2013

Background: To evaluate the results of various types of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment of renal tumors in patients with excessive anesthetic and surgical risk. Materials and Methods: Data for RFA performed in in high risk patients were retrospectively evaluated. Other RFA applications in patients with no anesthetic and/or surgical risk were excluded. RFA was by ultrasound or CT guided percutaneous (USG/CT-PRFA) and retroperitoneally or transperitoneally laparoscopic (R/T-LRFA) techniques under general or local anethesia. Follow-up data of enhanced CT or MRI after 1, 3 and 6 months were analysed for twelve RFA applications. Results: The RFA applications included 4 (40%) left-sided, 5 (50%) right-sided and 1 (10%) bilaterally RFA (simultaneously 1 right and 2 left). The localizations of tumors were 2 (16.6%) upper, 5 (41.6%) mid and 5 (41.6%) lower pole. The RFA applications included 9 (75%) USG-PRFA, 1 (8.3%) CT-PRFA, 1 (8.3%) T-LRFA and 1 (8.3%) R-LRFA. The mean age was $65.3{\pm}8.5$ (52-76) years. The mean tumor size was $29.6{\pm}6.08$ (15-40) mm. No complications related to the RFA were encountered in any of the cases. Failure (residual tumour) was determined in 8.3% (1/12) of USG-RFA application. The success rate was thus 91.7% (11/12). Other 1st, 3rd and 6th months follow-up data revealed no residua and recurrence. Conclusions: RFA application appears to be safe as a less invasive and effective treatment modality in selected cases of small renal tumors in individuals with excessive anesthetic and also surgical risk.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4067-4069
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• 2013

Background: The present study was undertaken to establish any correlation of elevated levels of CA19-9 with tumor stage or grade of urothelial carcinoma. Materials and Methods: This hospital based study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry of Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences between $1^{st}$ July 2012 and $31^{st}$ December 2012. Approval for the study was obtained from the institutional research ethical committee. CA19-9 was assayed with an ELISA reader for all cases and expressed in U/ml with 37U/ml taken as the cut-off upper value for normal. Results: Out of 20 cases enrolled, 15 were of urothelial carcinoma and the remaining 5 were controls. There was marked difference between the mean values of CA19-9 in cases $40.2{\pm}19.3U/ml$ of urothelial carcinoma and controls $7.98{\pm}7.34U/ml$. The number of cases in Ta, TI, T2, T3, T4 stages of urothelial carcinoma were 2, 6, 3, 3, 1 respectively. The percentage rise in CA19-9 was less with low grade tumors (22.2%) when compared with high grade tumors (66.6%) (p value $0.001^*$). The percentage of rise in CA19-9 for muscle invasive tumors was very high when compared to superficial tumors. Similarly, the percentage of rise in CA19-9 for metastatic disease was very high when compared to non-metastatic disease and it was found statistically significant (p value $0.001^*$). Conclusion: Serum CA19-9 levels predicts the prognosis of urothelial carcinoma as it is almost invariably raised in tumors having metastatic spread.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2011

Purpose: It has always been an aspiration for Asians to look more balanced and feminine, considering their facial features regarding relatively flat midface with marked prominences of the zygoma. Many studies have been dealt in this subject. However, the authors would like to emphasize the concept and introduce the technique of repositioning of the malar complex to a cosmetically beneficial point and stationing it on proper position by fixation on zygoma body and arch. Methods: From January 1998 to December 2007, this method was performed in 50 patients of mild to moderate prominence and malposition of the malar complex. A simplified technique of lateral orbital osteotomy and oblique osteotomy on zygomatic arch through intraoral and preauricular incision was developed. Then, liberal malar complex can be moved to a supero-posterior direction and repositioned to a more cosmetically beneficial point. To maintain the stationed position and to protect from vector affected by the attached masticating muscle to zygomatc bone, fixation was done on both zygoma body and arch. Results: We have obtained satisfactory results using this procedure without any observable complications. The advantages of this procedure are proper exposure, inconspicuous scar, safe, more natural contour, improved stability, and shorter healing time. Conclusion: The authors suggest that reduction malarplasty should be approached with underlying concept of repositioning and fixation. In mild moderate malar prominent cases, our technique will provide with maintenance of aesthetic concept, equal to the malar reduction performed under coronal approach and provide with more natural facial contour with stability even with less invasive surgical approach.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.561-564
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• 2012

Nasal bone fractures are often accompanied by septal fractures or deformity. Posttraumatic nasal deformity is usually caused by septal fractures. Submucosal resection and septoplasty are commonly used surgical techniques for the correction of septal deviation. However, septal perforation or saddle nose deformity is a known complication of submucosal resection. Hence, we chose to perform septoplasty, which is a less invasive procedure, as the primary treatment for nasal bone fractures accompanied by septal fractures. During septoplasty, we used a bioabsorbable mesh as an internal splint. We used the endonasal approach and inserted the mesh bilaterally between the mucoperichondrial flap and the septal cartilage. The treatment outcomes were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) and the nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale. The CT scans demonstrated a significant improvement in the septal deviation postoperatively. The symptomatic improvement rated by the NOSE scale was greater at 1 month and 6 months after surgery compared to the preoperative status. There were no cases of extrusion or infection of the implant. In cases of moderate or severe septal deviation without dislocation from the vomerine groove on the CT scan, our technique should be considered one of the treatments of choice.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.482-485
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• 2006

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has gained a broad acceptance for various thoracic lesions because it is the minimally invasive surgery with little tissue trauma, less pain, improved cosmetic results and short recovery time. However, there are some limitations for this method, such as restricted visual sensory information to a two-dimensional image and limited maneuverability of the tips of the instruments. To overcome these limitations, advanced technology has been introduced and the da $Vinci^{TM}$ Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical Inc, Mountain View, CA, USA) became available in 2001. In Korea, the da $Vinci^{TM}$ Surgical System was introduced in Severance hospital (Yonsei University College of Medicine) in May 2005, and approved by KFDA in July 2005. Herein, we report the first experience of robot-assisted thoracic surgery with the da $Vinci^{TM}$ Surgical System in extirpation of a large teratoma in anterior mediastinum.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.546-549
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• 2008

Bronchial artery aneurysm (BAA) is a rare entity that requires early diagnosis and immediate treatment due to the possibility of a life-threatening massive hemorrhage through rupture. The standard treatment is a surgical resection of the aneurismal artery. However, various embolization techniques, including coil embolization, are currently used as the optimal treatment because they are less invasive. A 65-year-old woman was referred for the treatment of intermittent hemoptysis. A chest CT scan showed an approximately 2 cm sized vascular mass with strong contrast enhancement originating from the right bronchial artery on the bronchiectatic parenchyma. On the angiogram, the inferior portion of the bronchial artery with a hypertrophic aspect and a huge bronchial artery aneurysm was detected on the left side branch. The bronchial artery aneurysm was embolized successfully with coils at the proximal and distal portion of the aneurysm. After coil embolization, the selective bronchial angiogram confirmed complete occlusion. We report this case of a bronchial artery aneurysm that was treated successfully with coil embolization.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2014

Foreign body ingestion is a common problem among paediatric populations. Most of the ingested foreign bodies spontaneously pass through the gastrointestinal tract, but approximately less then 10% of them remain without being discharged, and trigger complications. Therefore, proper evaluation and treatment according to the situation is required. In this study, clinical progress and complications were analyzed according to the clinical features and treatment in children who ingested foreign bodies. Among pediatric patients under 18 who were admitted to Chonnam National University Hospital after ingesting foreign bodies between January 2008 to June 2012, only the patients who had their foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract were included in this study. Based on medical records, age, type of foreign body, time spent till admission, and whether the endoscopy was done or not, complication were researched retrospectively. According to symptoms and plain abdomen X-ray findings, treatment was chosen and conducted among endoscopy, observation and emergency operation. Among 273 patients, 9 (3.3%) of them had surgical removal. Seven (2.6%) of them had an emergency operation on the day of admission, and the rest 2 (0.7%) had operation during observation. Removal through initial endoscopic approach was tried in 157 (57.5%) patients. Eleven (70.8%) of them had their foreign body removed at the initial trial, and 5 (4.9%) of them at the second trial. Among 109, who were on observation status, 9 (8.3%) of them needed endoscopic removal, and 2 (1.8%) of them suffered from surgical removal. It is thought to be better to approach slowly considering the type, size and symptoms in foreign body ingestion of pediatric patients, rather than immediate and invasive removal.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.6081-6087
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the incidence and mortality of breast cancer, and its relationship with human development index (HDI) and its components in Asia in 2012. Materials and Methods: This study was an ecologic study in Asia for assessment of the correlation between age-specific incidence rate (ASIR) and age-specific mortality rate (ASMR) with HDI and its details that include: life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling and gross national income (GNI) per capita. Data about SIR and SMR for every Asian country for the year 2012 were obtained from the global cancer project. We used a bivariate method for assessment of the correlation between SIR and SMR and HDI and its individual components. Statistical significance was assumed if P<0.05. All reported P-values are two-sided. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 15.0, SPSS Inc.). Results: In 2012, 639,824 cases of breast cancer were recorded in Asian countries. Countries with the highest standardized incidence rate (ASIR) (per 100,000) were Israel (80.5), Lebanon (78.7), Armenia (74.1) and the highest standard mortality rate (ASMR) was observed in Pakistan (25.2), Armenia (24.2), and Lebanon (24). There was a positive correlation between the ASIR of breast cancer and HDI (r = 0.556, p <0.001), whereas there was a negative correlation between the ASMR of breast cancer and HDI (r = -0.051). Conclusions: Breast cancer incidence in countries with higher development is greater, while mortality is greatest in countries with less development. There was a positive and significant relationship between the ASIR of breast cancer and HDI and its components. Also there was a negative but non significant relationship between the ASMR of breast cancer and HDI.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.975-981
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• 2014

Cervical cancer is an issue of foremost importance globally, specifically affecting the developing nations. Significant advances have taken place with regard to diagnosis of cervical cancer, especially with screening. Appropriate screening measures can thus reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. The most desirable screening technique should be less invasive, easy to perform, cost-effective and cover a wide range of diagnostic icons. Manual liquid based cytology (MLBC) can be considered as one of the suitable technique for screening with the above-mentioned benefits. The aim of the current study was to compare two cervical screening techniques on the basis of different morphological parameters and staining parameters by using modified acetic acid Pap staining to see the possibility of reducing time economy involved in conventional Pap staining (CPS). The study was conducted on a total 88 cases and all were analyzed with both MLBC and CPS. Forty eight cases that were regarded as satisfactory on the basis of Bethesda system by both methods were further recruited for investigation. Their morphological parameters and staining quality were compared and scored according to a scoring system defined in the study. Quality indices was calculated for both staining procedures and smear techniques.