• The KIPS Transactions:PartB
• /
• v.19B no.2
• /
• pp.123-126
• /
• 2012

This paper proposed a method to separate a liver into left and right liver lobes for simple and exact volumetry of the river graft at abdominal MDCT(Multi-Detector Computed Tomography) image before the living donor liver transplantation. A medical team can evaluate an accurate river graft with minimized interaction between the team and a system using this algorithm for ensuring donor's and recipient's safe. On the image of segmented liver, 2 points(PMHV: a point in Middle Hepatic Vein and PPV: a point at the beginning of right branch of Portal Vein) are selected to separate a liver into left and right liver lobes. Middle hepatic vein is automatically segmented using PMHV, and the cutting line is decided on the basis of segmented Middle Hepatic Vein. A liver is separated on connecting the cutting line and PPV. The volume and ratio of the river graft are estimated. The volume estimated using 2 points are compared with a manual volume that diagnostic radiologist processed and estimated and the weight measured during surgery to support proof of exact volume. The mean ${\pm}$ standard deviation of the differences between the actual weights and the estimated volumes was $162.38cm^3{\pm}124.39$ in the case of manual segmentation and $107.69cm^3{\pm}97.24$ in the case of 2 points method. The correlation coefficient between the actual weight and the manually estimated volume is 0.79, and the correlation coefficient between the actual weight and the volume estimated using 2 points is 0.87. After selection the 2 points, the time involved in separation a liver into left and right river lobe and volumetry of them is measured for confirmation that the algorithm can be used on real time during surgery. The mean ${\pm}$ standard deviation of the process time is $57.28sec{\pm}32.81$ per 1 data set ($149.17pages{\pm}55.92$).

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2005

Objectives: To find out the effects GGTl, an antiobestic drug widely used in clinics, has on the blood-antiobestic index and the toxicity index using the data from the hGHTg obese male rats. We looked closely into both of the two indices because GGTl antiobestic effect can happen not only by pharmacological action, but also by its toxicity. Also, we verified the difference in effect between GGTl and reductil (sibutramine), which has been approved by the FDA of the United States. Methods: After performing the experiments for 8 weeks on the hGHTg obese male rats divided into three groups: the control group, the GGTl group, and the reductil (RD) group, we anesthetized the rats with Diethyl ether and took a 3ml blood sample from the heart. Then, after coagulating the blood in room temperature by using the plasma separator, we centrifuged it for 25 minutes in 3,000rpm using the high-speed refrigerated centrifuge. We kept the separated plasma in a deep freezer at $-80^{\circ}C$, and repeatedly measured the antiobestic index and the toxicity index twice using the hematology biochemistry analyzer. Also, in order to judge the indirect toxicity index, we separated liver from kidney and observed them. Results: When we looked at the results of the analysis of covariance on the measuring elements related to the antiobestic index (TC, HDL, LDL, TG, and GLU), there was no significant difference among the groups in all measuring elements. Also, the results of the analysis of covariance on the two roups (RD group and GGTl group) showed that the p-values had no significant difference under the level of significance 0.05. When we looked at the result of the analysis of covariance on the measuring elements related to the toxicity index (GOT, GPT, GGT, CREA, UA, ALB, and TP), we could see that the p-values in GPT, ALB, and TP have a significant difference among the groups. Also, the results of the analysis of covariance about the measuring elements related to the toxicity index on both groups, RD group and GGTl group, showed no significant difference in the p-values of all of the measuring elements in the two groups, RD and GGTl group. Conclusions: In conclusion, through this experiment, the safety of GGTl has been approved, and although the verification on its medical effect has not been clearly approved, when we consider the fact that it belongs to the same group as reductil, an antiobestic drug approved by the FDA of the United States, we could indirectly verify that GGTl has an antiobestic effect. We believe that when doing a sample design for a future experiment, it needs to be performed on a greater sample size based on the power analysis that needs to be performed primarily in experiments, and a more accurate verification is needed through more systematic experiment plans.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.191-196
• /
• 2005

Purpose : Short stature is one of the characteristic features of Turner syndrome. We investigated the factors affecting final adult height(FAH) in patients with Turner syndrome. Methods : The study group was comprised of 60 patients who were diagnosed with Turner syndrome by chromosomal study and clinical phenotypes and attained FAH. Data were obtained from retrospective review of the medical records. We analyzed the factors influencing FAH in growth hormone(GH) treated and GH untreated groups. Results : Sixty patients were enrolled; 48 patients received GH treatment, and 12 patients did not. Mean duration of GH treatment was 35.8 months(range 4 to 120 months), and mean dosage of GH was $0.8{\pm}0.2IU/kg/wk$ in GH treated group. Mean growth velocity was $5.6{\pm}2.0cm/yr$, which was significantly higher than that during pretreatment period. In the GH treated group, mean chronological age, bone age, mean height, and height standard deviation(SD) score at GH treatment were $12.2{\pm}2.7yr$ $10.3{\pm}2.5yr$ $127.5{\pm}10.1cm$ and $-3.1{\pm}1.1$, respectively. In the GH treated group, the mean FAH and SD score of FAH were $146.9{\pm}5.8cm$ and $-2.7{\pm}1.2$, respectively, which showed significant differences compared with those of the GH untreated group. Analyzing the factors affecting FAH in GH-treated patients, only the SD score of height at the time of treatment was significantly related to FAH. Conclusion : GH treatment leads to an increment in FAH in patients with Turner syndrome. Average FAH gain was as much as 5.8 cm. SD score of height at the time of GH treatment was the only factor influencing FAH.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.45 no.11
• /
• pp.1411-1416
• /
• 2002

Purpose : Although the use of intravenous gamma-globulin(IVGG) in Kawasaki disease(KD) is effective in reducing clinical symptoms and coronary artery complications, 20-30% of patients have persistent or recrudescent fever and ongoing clinical symptoms. In these patients, the additional infusion of IVGG is considered. The authors studied the characteristics of patients who received IVGG retreatment, and compared them with the patients who did not need IVGG retreatment, for determination of IVGG retreatment. Methods : We reviewed the medical records of 117 KD patients who could be followed up at least six months. We studied the conventional laboratory findings, electrocardiogram(EKG), signal averaged ECG(SAECG) and echocardiogram. Results : Twenty three patients had early cardiac complications during the six months of follow-up. Four patients had late cardiac complications after six months. The early cardiac complication rate was higher in the IVGG retreatment group than the single infusion group(P<0.0001). The late complication rate was also higher in the retreatment group(P<0.0001). The patients who received methyl-prednisolone(m-PD) pulse therapy had much higher rates of early and late cardiac complications than those who received a single IVGG infusion. Among the clinical data and laboratory findings, only CRP increased significantly in patients who have had the cardiac complications. The IVGG retreatment group had increased CRP than the single infusion group. Conclusion : The patients with increased initial CRP may have an increased incidence of complications and an increased possibility of IVGG retreatment. We thought that retreated KD patients might have inflammations severe enough to need high dose IVGG as shown by high CRP levels, and IVGG retreatment could not prevent coronary artery lesions sufficiently.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.659-674
• /
• 1998

This Study was to investigate elaborated research themes and direction through specifying the problems of clinical practice education and looking for the direction of improvement. It was in the basis of the viewpoint of the educators that professors and therapists who were the subjects of this study. Perform this study, the 15 colleges' professors and the 55 hospitals' therapists was made up questionnaire, and the data was analysing by Chi-square test and percentage. The results were as follow : ${\cdot}$ In a personal history among the general qualities, professors have little clinical practice history(l-5 years, 53.3%), and therapists have little lecture career(1-5 years, 43.6%, have no 49.0%), ${\cdot}$ The 78.6% subjects were unsatisfied of clinical practice systems. ${\cdot}$ The correlation between clinical history, school career and lecture career and the satisfaction level of clinical practice systems has no(P<.005), ${\cdot}$ The subjects were agreed to that clinical practice curriculum should be changed(67.1%), reinforced(82.9%), and specified(90.0%). ${\cdot}$ The clinical practice credits are 11 points averagely. ${\cdot}$ In the clinical practice curriculum, it made no difference in the practicum of diseases, modality, and the therapeutic techniques between professors and therapists. ${\cdot}$ The 100% professors said that the practicum of the patients' assessment is necessary, and the 63.6% therapists were training for that. ${\cdot}$ The 66.7% professors said that the practicum of the clinical psychology is necessary, and only the 20.0% therapists were training for that. ${\cdot}$ The 93.3% professors said that the practicum of the patients' management is necessary, and the 50.9% therapists were training for that. ${\cdot}$ The 66.7% professors said that the practicum of the medical ethics is necessary, and the 34.5% therapists were training for that. ${\cdot}$ The 46.7% professors said that the practicum of the hospital administration is necessary, but the 54.5% therapists have not training. ${\cdot}$ The 33.3% professors said that the practicum of the pharmacology is necessary, but the 81.8% therapists have not training. ${\cdot}$ The 86.7% professors said that the practicum of the patient's education is necessary, and the 43.6% therapists have training. ${\cdot}$ The 66.7% professors said that the practicum of the prosthesis and brace is necessary, but the 14.5% therapists have not training. ${\cdot}$ The 60.0% professors said that the practicum of the exercise prescription is necessary, but the 25.5% therapists have not training. ${\cdot}$ The 53.5% professors said that the practicum of the emergency treatment is necessary, but the 52.7% therapists have not training. ${\cdot}$ Drawing up the plan about the curriculum of clinical practice, the professors (46.7%) were agreed to national master plan framing by an expert advisor, but the therapists (58.2%) said that the plan that make the most of hospitals' characteristics should be specified. ${\cdot}$ It was found that a clinical special therapists(54.5%) was good as a person in charge of clinical practice education, in that each therapist's own good time (34.5%) was. ${\cdot}$ It made use of the form framing by college(40.0%) as the clinical practice textbook, the form framing by hospital (42.9%) and each therapist(22.9%) as the plan, and the form framing by college (74.3%) as the measurement. ${\cdot}$ The most difficult point in clinical practice education was the lacks of the theory-praciticum linkage(78.2%). ${\cdot}$ It was found that the period of clinical practice was in the second semester-third grade (40.0%) and the desirable period was in the first semester-third grade(50.0%). ${\cdot}$ Professors (53.3%) were agreed that the desirable clinical practice duration was from four months to six months(60.0%), and the therapists (60.0%) were agreed that from one month to three months. ${\cdot}$ This study presented the lacks of rearing the experts, the lacks of cultural education, and the lacks of the theory-clinical practice linkage. There were need to develop the systematic programs, clinical practice textbooks, the measurements and the special hospital for clinical practice. And it was need to reduce the gab between of the hospitals for clinical practice, to cut down the costs. and to improve the labour conditions of leaders. In view of this findings, it takes notice of that both professor and therapist were dissatisfied at the present clinical practice systems. These results point out the problems of clinical practice systems, and do not make expect to us the successive and positive clinical practice. The general, specific and intensive plan about the problems and the direction of improvement that establishing the level of hospital for clinical practice and physiotherapy can be elaborated.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
• /
• s.43
• /
• pp.321-342
• /
• 2016

The "uncanny valley" curve describes the measured results of the negative emotion response which depends on the similarity between the artificially created character and the real human shape. The "uncanny valley" effect that usually appears in the animation character design induces negative response such as fear and hatred feeling, and anxiety, which is not expected by designers. Especially, in the case of the commercial animation which mostly reply on public response, this kind of negative response is directly related to the failure of artificially created character. Accordingly, designers adjust the desirability of the character design by avoiding or utilizing the "uncanny valley" effect, inducing certain character effect that leads to the success in animation work. This manuscript confirmed the "uncanny valley" coefficient of the positive emotion character design which was based on the actual character design and animation analysis. The "uncanny valley" concept was firstly introduced by a medical scientist Ernst Jentsch in 1906. After then, a psychologist Freud applied this concept to psychological phenomenon in 1919 and a Japanese robert expert Professor Masahiro Mori presented the "uncanny valley" theory on the view of the recognition effect. This paper interpreted the "uncanny valley" effect based on these research theory outcomes in two aspects including sensation production and emotion expression. The mickey-mouse character design analysis confirmed the existence basis of the "uncanny valley" effect, which presented how mickey-mouse human shape image imposed the "uncanny valley" effect on audience. The animation work analysis investigated the reason why the produced 3D animation character should not be 100% similar to the real human by comparing the animation baby character produced by Pix company as the experimental subject to the data of the real baby with the same age. Therefore, the examples of avoiding or utilizing the "uncanny valley" effect in animation character design was discussed in detail and the four stages of sensation production and emotional change of audience due to this kind of effect was figured out. This research result can be used as an important reference in deciding the desirability of the animation character.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.50 no.7
• /
• pp.622-628
• /
• 2007

Purpose : While pediatric observation units (POU) have become a common practice in hospitals throughout developed countries, there has been no report about POUs in Korea so far. The aims of this study were to analyze our one-year's experience of the POU and to decide which disease entities are suitable for the POU. Methods : All children admitted from March 2006 to February 2007 to the POU at the Department of Pediatrics in Our Lady of Mercy Hospital were included in this study. Data were collected from retrospective reviews of their medical records. Results : There were a total of 1,076 POU admissions. Median age of patients was 2.4 years and median length of hospital stay 14.0 hours. The most common diagnoses were gastroenteritis (42.7%), pharyngotonsillitis (19.1%), bronchiolitis (7.8%), pneumonia (5.5%) and febrile seizure (5.2%). Overall, 7.5% of the POU patients required subsequent inpatient admissions due to hospital stays of longer than 48 hours. The disease entities that were most likely to require inpatient admission were pneumonia (17.0%), febrile seizure (12.5%) and asthma (11.5%). Diseases that allowed successful discharge from the POU were gastroenteritis (4.6%), upper respiratory tract infection (5.8%), such as otitis media and pharygnotonsillitis and seizure disorder (6.4%). Compared with the previous year when the POU was not in operation, there was a statistically significant reduction in the average length of hospital stays (from 4.69 to 3.75 days), as well as a rise in the bed turnover rate (from 78.8 to 98.2 patients/bed). Conclusion : Our study shows that the POU is efficient for the management of children with certain acute illnesses. Based on this study, we suggest that the POU be used as a new modality which links between the outpatient, inpatient, and emergency departments in the field of pediatrics in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 1996

Since it has been reported that the depolarization-induced norepinephrine (NE) release is inhibited by activation of presynaptic $A_1-adenosine$ heteroreceptor in hippocampus, a large body of experimental data on the post-receptor mechanism of this process has been accumulated. But, the post-receptor mechanism of presynaptic $A_1-adenosine$ receptor on the NE release has not been clearly elucidated yet. Therefore, it was attempted to clarify the post-receptor mechanisms of the $A_1-adenosine$ receptor-mediated control of NE release in this study. Slices from rat hippocampus were equilibrated with $^3H-norepinephrine$ and the release of the labelled products was evoked by electrical stimulation (3 Hz, 5 $Vcm^{-1}$, 2 ms, rectangular pulses), and the influence of various agents on the evoked tritium-outflow was investigated. Adenosine, in concentrations ranging from $1{\sim}30{\mu}M$, decreased the NE release in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting the basal rate of release. The adenosine effects were significantly inhibited by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, $2{\mu}M$), a selective $A_1-receptor$ antagonist. The responses to N-ethylmaleimide (NEM, 10 & $30{\mu}M$), a SH-alkylating agent of G-protein, were characterized by increments of the evoked NE-release and the basal release, and the adenosine effects were completely abolished by NEM pretreatment. $4{\beta}-Phorbol$ 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB, $1{\mu}M$), a specific protein kinase C (PKC) activator, increased the evoked NE release, whereas polymyxin B sulfate (PMB,0.1 mg), a PKC inhibitor, decreased the release, and the adenosine effects were inhibited by these agents. Nifedipine $(1{\mu}M)$, a $Ca^{2+}-channel$ blocker of dihydropyridine analogue, did not affect the adenosine effect. Tetraethylammonium (TEA, 3 mM) increased the evoked NE release, and inhibited the adenosine effects, but glibenclamide, a ATP dependent $K^+-channel$ blocker, did not. Finally, 8-bromo cyclic AMP (100 & $300{\mu}M$), a membrane-permeable analogue of cAMP, did not alter the NE release, but adenosine effects were inhibited by pretreatment with 8br-cAMP. These results suggest that the decrement of the evoked NE-release by $A_1-adenosine$ receptor is mediated by the C-protein, which is coupled to protein kinase C, adenylate cyclase system and TEA sensitive $K^+-channel$, and that nifedipine-sensitive $Ca^{2+}-channel$ and glibenclamide-sensitive $K^+-channel$ are not involved in this process.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.21-31
• /
• 1991

When administered intracerebroventricularly (icv), cholinergic nicotinic agents, nicotine and DMPP, as well as cholinergic muscarinic agents, muscarine and bethanechol, produced pressor responses in urethane-anesthetized vagotomized rabbits. The response patterns to nicotine and to DMPP were similar, while the bethanechol response resembled the muscarine pattern. The pressor response to nicotine and DMPP was markedly inhibited by icv mecamylamine but not by icv pirenzepine, whereas the response to muscarine and bethanechol was inhibited by icv pirenzepine but not by icv mecamylamine, suggesting that both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors in the brain are involved in the action. Intravenous pretreatments of animals with regitine, reserpine, enalapril, saralasin, both regitine and enalapril, both regitine and saralasin, SK&F-100273 did not prevent the pressor response to nicotine and muscarine. Iv pretreatments with both regitine and SK&F-100273 inhibited the nicotine response without affecting the muscarine response, whereas pretreatments with three agents, regitine, enalapril and SK&F-100273, inhibited the muscarine response. The nicotine-induced elevated blood pressure as well as the muscarine-induced were lowered by regitine but not by enalapril or by SK&F-100273. Enalapril was without effect on the nicotine hypertension in rabbits treated with regitine or both regitine and SK&F-100273, whereas SK&F-100273 lowered the nicotine hypertension in regitine-treated animals. Enalapril did not enhance the lowering effect of SK&F-100273 in regitine-treated ones, nor did it cause a fall of the muscarine hypertension induced in regitine-treated rabbits, but it did lower the blood pressure in animals treated with both regitine and SK&F-100273. Likewise, SK&F-100273 did not cause a fall of the muscarine hypertension induced in regitine-treated rabbits, but it did lower the blood pressure in animals treated with both regitine and enalapril. These data suggest that the nicotine-induced hypertensive state is related to at least two systems in the periphery-sympathetic and vasopressin, whereas in the muscarine-induced hypertensive state three systems in the periphery are involved, i.e., the sympathetic, vasopressin and angiotensin system. The hypotensive effect of regitine on basal arterial blood pressure levels of rabbits was not influenced by pretreatment with either of enalapril or SK&F-100273, but significantly potentiated by treating with both enalapril and SK&F-100273, suggesting participation of the sympathetic and the renin-angiotensin system as well as the vasopressin system in maintenance of arterial blood pressure.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.233-239
• /
• 2000

Purpose : A great deal of youngsters suffer from otitis media, for which antimicrobials are frequently prescribed. Increased antimicrobial resistance forces physicians to judiciously use antimicrobial agents in treating patients with acute otitis media. There have however been few references with regard to otitis media in Korean children, and authors proceeded investigation to look for the causative agents of otitis media in Korean children and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Methods : The study included 65 patients younger than 15 years old who had been cared at the department of pediatrics and otolaryngology in Hanyang University Hospital from July 1994 to June 1999, and diagnosed of otitis media with otorrhea which contained microorganisms isolated in otorrhea culture. The medical records were reviewed for demographic data, isolated organisms and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Results : Among 65 patients, 37(57%) were boys and 28(43%) girls. Distribution of the patients was reciprocal to the age of the patients; 27 patients(41.5%) were younger than 1 year old, 24(36.9%) were 1 to 3 years old with the average of 2.9 years of age. Staphylococus aureus was isolated in 32 patients(49.2%), Streptococcus pneumoniae in 19 patients(29.2%) Haemophilus influenzae in 9 patients(13.8%), Streptococcus oralis in 3 patients(4.6%), Moraxella catarrhalis in 1 patient(1.5%). The isolated microorganisms were not different whether patients had cleft lip/palate or not. The antibiotic resistance rates of S. aureus were ${\geq}90%$ to erythromycin, imipenem, cephalothin, and clindamycin, 86.2% to oxacillin, 25% to chloramphenicol, 12.5% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole(TMP/SMX), and 0% to vancomycin and teicoplanin. The antibiotic resistance rates of S. pneumoniae were 71.4% to penicillin and greater than 60% to erythromycin, tetracycline, TMP/SMX, 7.1% to chloramphenicol, and 0% to vancomycin and teicoplanin. The antibiotic resistance rates of H. influenzae were 55% to ampicillin and TMP/SMX, and 0% to chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, aztreonam, imipenem and ciprofloxacin. Conclusion : With otorrhea culture, the causative organisms of otitis media appear to be S. aureus, S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae. The high antibiotic resistance rates of the isolated organisms should affect the choice of antibiotics in treating patients with otitis media. Prospective investigations utilizing tympanocentesis in microbiologic studies are needed.