• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• 제86권4호
• /
• pp.284-293
• /
• 2023

Background: Attitudes towards smoking, lung cancer screening, and perceived risk of lung cancer have not been widely studied in Malaysia. The primary objective of this study was to describe the factors affecting the willingness of high-risk current smokers and ex-smokers to undergo low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in current smokers or ex-smokers aged between 55 and 80 years at three hospitals in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The questionnaire recorded the following parameters: perceived lung cancer risk; Prostate Lung Colon Ovarian Cancer 2012 risk prediction model excluding race and ethnicity predictor (PLCO_m2012norace); demographic characteristics; psychosocial characteristics; and attitudes towards lung cancer and lung cancer screening. Results: A vast majority of the 95 respondents (94.7%) indicated their willingness to undergo screening. Stigma of lung cancer, low levels of knowledge about lung cancer symptoms, concerns about financial constraints, and a preference for traditional medication were still prevalent among the respondents, and they may represent potential barriers to lung cancer screening uptake. A desire to have an early diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 11.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53 to 84.05; p=0.02), perceived time constraints (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.32 to 11.73; p=0.01), and proximity of LDCT screening facilities (OR, 14.33; 95% CI, 1.84 to 111.4; p=0.01) had significantly higher odds of willingness to undergo screening. Conclusion: Although high-risk current smokers and ex-smokers are likely to undergo screening for lung cancer, several psychosocial barriers persist. The results of this study may guide the policymakers and clinicians regarding the need to improve lung cancer awareness in our population.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제17권7호
• /
• pp.1057-1065
• /
• 2023

비침습적 간섬유화 진단은 만성 간질환 환자들에게 매우 중요한 사항이다. 많은 환자들에게 간조직검사를 시행할 수가 없기 때문에 의미 있는 간섬유화 정도를 조기에 예측함으로써 만성 간질환의 치료와 간세포암 및 간경변증으로 인한 합병증을 감소시킬 수 있다. 본 연구는 비침습적인 간섬유화 검사 방법 중 간초음파 소견과 함께 전단파 탄성 초음파를 이용하여 간섬유화의 정량적 측정과 간탄성도 수치와 연관성을 갖는 혈청학적 인자도 비교 분석하였다(p<0.05). 그 결과 정상 집단의 횡파탄성측정값은 4.55 ± 0.69 kPa였으며, 에코 패턴의 비정상 대조군은 8.27 ± 1.83 kPa로 B형 간염 보균 집단에서 전단파 탄성 초음파 측정값이 높게 나타났으며, 혈청학적 인자들 중 AST, ALT, GGT, PT가 SWE 범주에 따른 섬유화의 정도에 따라 통계학적으로 유의한 양의 연관성을 보였으나(p<0.05) ALP와 TB는 통계적으로 유의미한 차이를 나타내지 않았다(p=0.163, p=0.567). 반면에 Albumin과 PLT는 유의한 음의 연관성을 보였다(p<0.05). 임상적으로 간경변 증후가 없는 만성 B형 간염 환자들의 간섬유화 추적 관찰 및 반복 검사 시 간초음파와 전단파 탄성 초음파 검사를 통한 탄성도 값을 추가로 활용한다면 검사자 간 객관적 진단에 있어 도움이될 것이며, 일차적인 진료에 유용할 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제66권6호
• /
• pp.681-689
• /
• 2023

Objective : Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a condition characterized by bleeding in the subarachnoid space, often resulting from the rupture of a cerebral aneurysm. Delayed cerebral ischemia caused by vasospasm is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in SAH patients, and inflammatory markers such as systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), systemic inflammatory index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and derived NLR (dNLR) have shown potential in predicting clinical vasospasm and outcomes in SAH patients. This article aims to investigate the relationship between inflammatory markers and cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmatic SAH (aSAH) and evaluate the predictive value of various indices, including SIRI, SII, NLR, and dNLR, in predicting clinical vasospasm. Methods : A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 96 patients who met the inclusion criteria out of a total of 139 patients admitted Trakya University Hospital with a confirmed diagnosis of aSAH between January 2013 and December 2021. Diagnostic procedures, neurological examinations, and laboratory tests were performed to assess the patients' condition. The Student's t-test compared age variables, while the chi-square test compared categorical variables between the non-vasospasm (NVS) and vasospasm (VS) groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of laboratory parameters, calculating the area under the ROC curve, cut-off values, sensitivity, and specificity. A significance level of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results : The study included 96 patients divided into two groups : NVS and VS. Various laboratory parameters, such as NLR, SII, and dNLR, were measured daily for 15 days, and statistically significant differences were found in NLR on 7 days, with specific cut-off values identified for each day. SII showed a significant difference on day 9, while dNLR had significant differences on days 2, 4, and 9. Graphs depicting the values of these markers for each day are provided. Conclusion : Neuroinflammatory biomarkers, when used alongside radiology and scoring scales, can aid in predicting prognosis, determining severity and treatment decisions for aSAH, and further studies with larger patient groups are needed to gain more insights.

• 생태와환경
• /
• 제56권3호
• /
• pp.268-279
• /
• 2023

근래에 들어, 머신러닝과 딥러닝 모델은 다양한 수체 내 수질변화를 예측하기 위해 광범위하게 사용되고 있다. 특히, 담수호의 물 이용과 수생태계 건강성에 위협 요인으로 작용할 수 있는 유해남조의 발생을 예측하기 위해 많은 연구자들이 인공지능 모델을 활용하고 있다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 최근까지 유해남조의 발생을 예측하기 위해 적용된 인공지능 모델링의 선행 연구들을 검토하였고, 딥러닝을 포함하여 머신러닝 모델을 이용한 이 분야 연구의 발전방향을 모색하고자 하였다. 먼저, Elsevier의 초록 인용 데이터베이스인 Scopus를 활용하여 체계적인 문헌 연구를 수행하였다. 주요 키워드를 이용하여 탐색 및 정리된 문헌들을 리뷰한 결과, 딥러닝 모델은 주로 남조 세포수 예측에만 사용되었고, 머신러닝 모델은 남조 세포수 이외에 microcystin, geosmin, 2-MIB와 같은 대사물질 예측에도 초점을 맞추고 있었다. 또한, 남조 세포수와 대사물질의 예측을 위해 활용된 입력변수들은 현저한 차이가 있었다. 남조의 대사물질을 예측하기 위해 딥러닝 모델이 적용된 바가 없었는데, 향후 빅데이터 구축을 통한 대사물질을 예측하는 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제36권12호
• /
• pp.1775-1784
• /
• 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to reveal the role and regulatory mechanism of miR-188-5p in the proliferation and differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells. Methods: Goat skeletal muscle satellite cells isolated in the pre-laboratory were used as the test material. First, the expression of miR-188-5p in goat muscle tissues at different developmental stages was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). In addition, miR-188-5p was transfected into goat skeletal muscle satellite cells by constructing mimics and inhibitors of miR-188-5p, respectively. The changes of differentiation marker gene expression were detected by qPCR method. Results: It was highly expressed in adult goat latissimus dorsi and leg muscles, goat fetal skeletal muscle, and at the differentiation stage of muscle satellite cells. Overexpression and interference of miR-188-5p showed that miR-188-5p inhibited the proliferation and promoted the differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells. Target gene prediction and dual luciferase assays showed that miR-188-5p could target the 3'untranslated region of the calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II beta (CAMK2B) gene and inhibit luciferase activity. Further functional studies revealed that CAMK2B promoted the proliferation and inhibited the differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells, whereas si-CAMK2B restored the function of miR-188-5p inhibitor. Conclusion: These results suggest that miR-188-5p inhibits the proliferation and promotes the differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells by targeting CAMK2B. This study will provide a theoretical reference for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle development in goats.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제21권4호
• /
• pp.413-421
• /
• 2020

Objective: A widely applicable, non-invasive screening method for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is needed. We aimed to develop and validate an index combining computed tomography (CT) and routine clinical data for screening for NAFLD in a large cohort of adults with pathologically proven NAFLD. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 2218 living liver donors who had undergone liver biopsy and CT within a span of 3 days. Donors were randomized 2:1 into development and test cohorts. CTL-S was measured by subtracting splenic attenuation from hepatic attenuation on non-enhanced CT. Multivariable logistic regression analysis of the development cohort was utilized to develop a clinical-CT index predicting pathologically proven NAFLD. The diagnostic performance was evaluated by analyzing the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The cutoffs for the clinical-CT index were determined for 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity in the development cohort, and their diagnostic performance was evaluated in the test cohort. Results: The clinical-CT index included CTL-S, body mass index, and aspartate transaminase and triglyceride concentrations. In the test cohort, the clinical-CT index (AUC, 0.81) outperformed CTL-S (0.74; p < 0.001) and clinical indices (0.73-0.75; p < 0.001) in diagnosing NAFLD. A cutoff of ≥ 46 had a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 41%, whereas a cutoff of ≥ 56.5 had a sensitivity of 57% and a specificity of 89%. Conclusion: The clinical-CT index is more accurate than CTL-S and clinical indices alone for the diagnosis of NAFLD and may be clinically useful in screening for NAFLD.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제22권2호
• /
• pp.213-224
• /
• 2021

Objective: Clinical outcomes of patients who undergo transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for single small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not consistent, and may differ based on certain imaging findings. This retrospective study was aimed at determining the efficacy of pre-TACE CT or MR imaging findings in predicting survival outcomes in patients with small HCC upon being treated with TACE. Besides, the study proposed to build a risk prediction model for these patients. Materials and Methods: Altogether, 750 patients with functionally good hepatic reserve who received TACE as the first-line treatment for single small HCC between 2004 and 2014 were included in the study. These patients were randomly assigned into training (n = 525) and validation (n = 225) sets. Results: According to the results of a multivariable Cox analysis, three pre-TACE imaging findings (tumor margin, tumor location, enhancement pattern) and two clinical factors (age, serum albumin level) were selected and scored to create predictive models for overall, local tumor progression (LTP)-free, and progression-free survival in the training set. The median overall survival time in the validation set were 137.5 months, 76.1 months, and 44.0 months for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves of the predictive models for overall, LTP-free, and progression-free survival applied to the validation cohort showed acceptable areas under the curve values (0.734, 0.802, and 0.775 for overall survival; 0.738, 0.789, and 0.791 for LTP-free survival; and 0.671, 0.733, and 0.694 for progression-free survival at 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively). Conclusion: Pre-TACE CT or MR imaging findings could predict survival outcomes in patients with small HCC upon treatment with TACE. Our predictive models including three imaging predictors could be helpful in prognostication, identification, and selection of suitable candidates for TACE in patients with single small HCC.

• 한국음향학회지
• /
• 제29권6호
• /
• pp.381-387
• /
• 2010

다채널 오디오 코딩 시스템을 평가함에 있어서 음색 요소뿐만 아니라 공간감 요소 역시 큰 중요성을 갖는다. 이러한 이유로 양이 시간차 왜곡 (Interaural Time Difference Distortion, ITDDist), 양이 크기차 왜곡 (Interaural Level Difference Distortion, ILDDist), 양이 상관관계 왜곡 (Interaural Cross Correlation Distortion, IACCDist)과 같은 공간감 요소를 추가하여 기존의 음질 객관 평가 권고안인 ITU-R Rec. BS. 1387-1을 다채널 오디오 시스템에 적용하기 위한 시도가 있었다. 이 다채널 오디오 시스템을 위한 확장 모델에서는 Duplex 이론에 따라, 양이 시간차 왜곡은 1.5kHz 이하의 저주파 영역에 대해서만 계산되었으며, 양이 크기차 왜곡은 2.5kHz 이상의 고주파 영역에 대해서만 계산되었다. 하지만 고주파 영역에 있어서 포락선의 양이 시간차는 공간감 인지에 있어서, 특히 음상 정위에 있어서 중요한 역할을 한다. 이러한 고주파 영역 포락선의 양이 시간차 공간감 인지에 미치는 영향을 정량적으로 분석하기 위해 해당 인자를 계산하는 방법이 본 논문에서 소개된다. 또한, 이렇게 계산된 고주파 영역 포락선의 양이 시간차는 다채널 오디오의 주관평가 결과와 높은 상관관계를 가짐을 확인한다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제24권6호
• /
• pp.498-511
• /
• 2023

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of chest computed tomography (CT)-based qualitative and radiomics models for predicting residual axillary nodal metastasis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 226 women (mean age, 51.4 years) with clinically node-positive breast cancer treated with NAC followed by surgery between January 2015 and July 2021. Patients were randomly divided into the training and test sets (4:1 ratio). The following predictive models were built: a qualitative CT feature model using logistic regression based on qualitative imaging features of axillary nodes from the pooled data obtained using the visual interpretations of three radiologists; three radiomics models using radiomics features from three (intranodal, perinodal, and combined) different regions of interest (ROIs) delineated on pre-NAC CT and post-NAC CT using a gradient-boosting classifier; and fusion models integrating clinicopathologic factors with the qualitative CT feature model (referred to as clinical-qualitative CT feature models) or with the combined ROI radiomics model (referred to as clinical-radiomics models). The area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess and compare the model performance. Results: Clinical N stage, biological subtype, and primary tumor response indicated by imaging were associated with residual nodal metastasis during the multivariable analysis (all P < 0.05). The AUCs of the qualitative CT feature model and radiomics models (intranodal, perinodal, and combined ROI models) according to post-NAC CT were 0.642, 0.812, 0.762, and 0.832, respectively. The AUCs of the clinical-qualitative CT feature model and clinical-radiomics model according to post-NAC CT were 0.740 and 0.866, respectively. Conclusion: CT-based predictive models showed good diagnostic performance for predicting residual nodal metastasis after NAC. Quantitative radiomics analysis may provide a higher level of performance than qualitative CT features models. Larger multicenter studies should be conducted to confirm their performance.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제24권4호
• /
• pp.338-348
• /
• 2023

Objective: Patients with a history of ischemic stroke are at risk for a second ischemic stroke. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between carotid plaque enhancement on perfluorobutane microbubble contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and future recurrent stroke, and to determine whether plaque enhancement can contribute to risk assessment for recurrent stroke compared with the Essen Stroke Risk Score (ESRS). Materials and Methods: This prospective study screened 151 patients with recent ischemic stroke and carotid atherosclerotic plaques at our hospital between August 2020 and December 2020. A total of 149 eligible patients underwent carotid CEUS, and 130 patients who were followed up for 15-27 months or until stroke recurrence were analyzed. Plaque enhancement on CEUS was investigated as a possible risk factor for stroke recurrence and as a possible adjunct to ESRS. Results: During follow-up, 25 patients (19.2%) experienced recurrent stroke. Patients with plaque enhancement on CEUS had an increased risk of stroke recurrence events (22/73, 30.1%) compared to those without plaque enhancement (3/57, 5.3%), with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 38.264 (95% confidence interval [CI]:14.975-97.767; P < 0.001) according to a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model analysis, indicating that the presence of carotid plaque enhancement was a significant independent predictor of recurrent stroke. When plaque enhancement was added to the ESRS, the HR for stroke recurrence in the high-risk group compared to that in the low-risk group (2.188; 95% CI, 0.025-3.388) was greater than that of the ESRS alone (1.706; 95% CI, 0.810-9.014). A net of 32.0% of the recurrence group was reclassified upward appropriately by the addition of plaque enhancement to the ESRS. Conclusion: Carotid plaque enhancement was a significant and independent predictor of stroke recurrence in patients with ischemic stroke. Furthermore, the addition of plaque enhancement improved the risk stratification capability of the ESRS.