• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2185-2193
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• 2016

Background: The pathogenesis of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) is influenced by the patient genetic background and environmental factors. Based on prior understanding, these are classified in two major pathways of genetic instability. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and CPG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) are categorized as features of the hypermethylated prototype, and chromosomal instability (CIN) is known to be indicative of the non-hypermethylated category. Secreted frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2), APC1A in WNT signaling pathway and the DNA repair gene, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), are frequently hypermethylated in colorectal cancer. Detection of methylated DNA as a biomarker by easy and inexpensive methods might improve the quality of life of patients with CRC via early detection of cancer or a precancerous condition. Aim: To evaluate the rate of SFRP2 and MGMT hypermethylation in both polyp tissue and serum of patients in south Iran as compared with matched control normal population corresponding samples. Materials and Methods: Methylation-specific PCR was used to detect hypermethylation in DNA extracted from 48 polypoid tissue samples and 25 healthy individuals. Results: Of total polyp samples, 89.5% had at least one promoter gene hypermethylation. The most frequent methylated locus was SFRP2 followed by MGMT-B (81.2 and 66.6 percent respectively). Serologic detection of hypermethylation was 95% sensitive as compared with polyp tissue. No hypermethylation was detected in normal tissue and serum and its detection in patients with polyps, especially of serrated type, was specific. Conclusions: Serologic investigation for detection of MGMT-B, SFRP2 hypermethylation could facilitate prioritization of high risk patients for colonoscopic polyp detection and excision.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2002

Purpose : We evaluated the results of the arthroscopic treatment of nine cases of synovial chondromatosis in the knee joints. Materials and Methods : From June 1989 to September 1999, eight patients nine cases with synovial chondromatosis involving knee joints underwent arthroscopic total synovectomy and removal of loose bodies. There were 6 females and 2 males. The average age at surgery was 44.1 years(range, 20-57 years). The average follow-up period was 5.9 years (range, 2.5-7.3 years). All cases had pain and swelling and two cases had locking preoperatively. Flexion contracture was found in three cases. Results : Pathologic finding revealed Milgram I in one case, Milgram II in six cases and Milgram III in two cases. There were six cases of generalized synovial hypertrophy and one case of localized type. All patients had symptomatic relief by arthroscopic total synovectomy and loose body removal. Second arthoroscopic surgery was performed in one patient due to recurred lesions 11 months after the primary surgery. Conclusion : Clinical results of the synovial chondromatosis with arthroscopic total synovectomy and loose body removal were satisfactory. Arthroscopic total synovectomy was also effective for the recurred case.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2006

Background: The DR-$70^{TM}$ immunoassay is a newly developed cancer diagnostic test which quantifies the serum fibrin degradation products (FDP), produced during fibrinolysis, by antibody reaction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of DR-$70^{TM}$ Immunoassay in screening malignant tumor. Methods: Sample subjects were 4,169 adults, both male and female, who visited the health promotion center of a general hospital from March 2004 to April 2005 and underwent the DR-$70^{TM}$ immunoassay test and other tests for cancer diagnosis. The patient group was defined as 42 adults out of the sample subjects who were newly diagnosed with cancer during the same time period when the DR-$70^{TM}$ immunoassay test was performed. Final confirmation of a malignant tumor was made by pathological analysis. Results: The mean DR-$70^{TM}$ level was $0.83{\pm}0.65{\mu}g/ml$ (range: 0.00 (0.0001)${\sim}7.42{\mu}g/ml)$ in the control group (n=4,127) as opposed to $2.70{\pm}2.33{\mu}g/ml$ (range: $0.12{\sim}9.30{\mu}g/ml)$ in the cancer group (n=42), and statistical significance was established (p<0.0001, Student t-test). When categorized by the type of malignant tumor, all cancer patients with the exception of the subgroups of colon and rectal cancer showed significantly higher mean DR-$70^{TM}$ levels compared with the control group (p<0.0001, Kruscal-Wallis test). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed ${\geq}1.091{\mu}g/ml$ as the best cut-off value. Using this cut-off value, the DR-$70^{TM}$ immunoassay produced a sensitivity of 71.4%, a specificity of 70.1%, a positive predictability of 69.4%, and a negative predictability of 69.2% (1). Conclusion: A significant increase in the mean DR-$70^{TM}$ value was observed in the cancer group (thyroidal, gastric, breast, hepatic and ovarian) com pared with the control group. In particular, the specificity and sensitivity of the DR-$70^{TM}$ immunoassay was relatively high in the subgroups of breast, gastric, and thyroidal cancer patients. There is need for further studies on a large number of malignant tumor patients to see how the DR-$70^{TM}$ level might be changed according to the differentiation grade and postoperative prognosis of the malignant tumor.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.206-220
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depression, discomfort, spirituality, physical care, and opioid use on pain with terminally ill cancer patients residing in hospice units. The convenient sample of this study consisted of 41 terminally ill cancer patients at three hospice units in university affiliated hospitals. Patients were interviewed with structured questionnaires three times at predetermined intervals: admission to the hospice unit (Time 1), one week later (Time 2), and two weeks later (Time 3). The data was collected from January 1998 to January 1999 and was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate multiple regression. 1. The mean age of the participants was approximately 55 years old. In terms of diagnosis, lung cancer showed the highest frequency (19.5%), followed by stomach cancer and rectal cancer (17.1%). The motive of seeking hospice unit admission was control (72. 2%), followed by spiritual care (50%), and symptom relief (38.9%). 2. Regarding the type of pain felt, the highest pain frequency the participants experienced was deep pain (55%), followed by multiple pain (25%), intestinal pain (10%), then superficial (5%) and neurogenic pain (5%). For the level of pain measured by VAS, there was no significant difference among the three time points; Time 1 (5.04$\pm$2.21), Time 2 (4.82$\pm$2.58) and Time 3(4.73$\pm$2.51). 3. There was significant change seen in spirituality and physical care in each time interval. Namely, the longer the length of admission at the hospice unit, the higher the importance of spirituality (p=0.0001) and the more the physical care the participants received (p=0.01). The opioid use at the three time points showed the following frequencies : Time 1 (75.6%), Time 2 (85.4%) and Time 3 (75.6%). 4. Regarding factors influencing pain, the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p〈0.01) and the opioid use (p〈0.1). These results were the most significant at the two time points (Time 1 and Time 2). At Time 3 (two weeks later), the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p〈0.05) and the amount of physical care the participants received (p〈0.1). In conclusion, the terminally ill cancer patients had moderate pain, were generally depressed, and were treated with opioid analgesics. As approaching death, the patients received more physical care due to increased physical symptoms experienced and they had a higher perception of the importance of spirituality. Thus, health care professionals need to provide continuous care for each of them to die comfortably physically, psycho- logically, and spiritually.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.433-443
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• 1997

Cardiac catheterization is a diagnostic procedure which is intrusive and anxiety provoking. Patient education and information offer have been suggested as effective nursing interventions to reduce patients' anxiety and stress. Main objectives of this study are : 1) to develop concrete objective information for patients undergoing cardiac catheterization : 2) to analyze the types of information included in the newly developed concrete objective information. The subjects of this study are 11 patients who were admitted to the CCU of a general hospital in Seoul. The subjects were provided with preparatory information about cardiac catheterization by using interview and a booklet. After the procedure, the subjects were asked to describe additional information which they suggest to be added into the booklet and the physical sensations felt during the procedure. The results of the study are summarized as follows : Most subjects were satisfied with the preparatory information that was provided by interview and the booklet before the procedure. But patients suggested several problems related to the content of the booklet. First, they reported difficulty to differentiate the terms -coronary angio gram and cardiac catheterization. Also, some patients expressed that they feared after reading the information about the incision of inguinal area. Subjects responded that the information about the direct process of the test did not reduce their anxiety and the information was not detail enough. Next, most subjects would want to know about the monitor and the sound from monitor. They said that they could not hear instructions from doctor or nurse during the procedure due to tension. Considering above response results, the need for more effective way to provide information, like visual and auditory information through video tape for giving information is suggested. Sensations related to the procedure were the smell coming from sterilization of inguinal area, stinging pain in groin when the doctor inserts a needle into artery, and the sensation of pressure and moving of vessels surrounding neck when the catheter was inserted and visualized on fluoroscopy. Besides, subject reported hot sensation and burning feeling in face and chest area, and nausea when dye is injected by hand. In the analysis of information content, there was 79% agreement on the actual units of analysis that were coded. In the analysis of type of information, procedural information was 60.4%. Concrete objective information was 28.1%. and other information was 11.5%. Agreement of the coders in categorizing the units of information was determined by using Cohen's kappa which corrects for chance agreement. Cohen's kappa was .84.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.372-382
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• 2009

Objective: This study was to change of pulp blood flow among maxillary and mandibular anterior tooth with mild crowding and adjacent teeth using Ultrasound Doppler graphy. Methods: The change of pulp blood flow was measured three times using Ultrasound Doppler graphy; before the attachment of brackets, after 3 week, and after 6 week. The sample consists of 15 year old eighteen patients. Results: Before the attachment of brackets, after 3 weeks, and after 6 weeks, there were no significant differences in the change of pulp blood flow in each part (maxilla and mandible) and each tooth according to period. In addition, to compare internal dangerousness of loss of the pulp vitality, when pulp blood flow is compared in each tooth before orthodontic treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in maxillary lateral incisor and mandibular canine but it showed low values in all measurement items (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Results of this study can be not only methodological preliminary data in further study such as tooth movement type of Ultrasound Doppler graphy and particular study considered the patient age, but also reference materials for the loss of pulp vitality in orthodontic treatment.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.39-52
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• 1992

As society has changed, the demand for improved health care has increased. To keep up with this type of social need, professional nursing care is seeking to efficiently satisfy the care needs of human beings. The goal of clinical nurse is to meet nursing care needs of patients. This study was designed to survey attitudes of nursing profession of clinical nurses. The following specific 5 objectives were investigated and the attitudes of clinical nurses were determined. 1. The social position of nursing as a profession. 2. Factors influencing the development of nursing. 3. The future of nursing. 4. Their work. 5. Job satisfaction. The subjects consisted of 120 nurses who are working at 5 general hospital over 150 beds Ill CHONG NAM. The nurses were surveyed by means of a questionnaire from May 24 to Jun 15, 1992. The tool used for this study was based on earlier work by Lee, Nam Hi(1978) and Kim, Myong Hee(1984). Computer was used for Data Analysis. Frequency and Percentage were used to examine the genera] characteristics of the subjects. ANOV A and t.test were used to test the relation in characteristics of the subjects and attitudes Loward nursing prfession. The finding of this study were as follows; 1. Social position of nursing as a profession; The response with the highest agreement was "The professional nursing organization is less power. ful than the other professional organization" 3.333 points, and the response with the lowest agreement was "Nursing get a big salary" 2.225 points. 2. Factors influencing the development of nursing; the response with the highest agreement was "Hospital environment should be improved" 4.267 points, and the response with the lowest agreement was "Nurses satisfaction with salary"2.175 points. 3. The future of nursing; the response with the highest agreement was "Along the deveiopmem of science technique will be elevated educational state and graduate to needed in nursing" 3.958 points, and showed generally positive response toward the future of nursing. 4. Their work; the response with the highest agreement was "Work loading due to nursing staff insufficient" 4. 308 points, the response with the lowest agreement was "Nurses are unkind to patient" 2.508 points. 5. The subject's view regarding job satisfaction;it showed that "Interpersonal nursing staffs" 3.508 points, showed generally unsatisfactory response toward job satisfaction. 6. The relationship between the subject's attitudes toward professional nursing and general characteristics showed a significant difference statistically in regard to the field of work(P<.05). 7. The relationship between general characteristics and the subject's attitudes toward factors influencing the development of nursing showed a significant difference statistically in regard to the age and the status of position(P<.05). The subject's attitude toward the future of nursing showed a significant difference statistically in regard to the age and the period of nursing career and the field of work(P<.05, P<.005). The subject's attitude toward the job satisfaction showed a significant difference statistically in regard to the age and the period of nursing career and the status of position and the field of work(P<.005).

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 2001

The intracavitary cones were designed which were made of stainless steel and have scratched inside cone to be generated electron scatter and designed to be attached easily to the LINAC collimator and controlled cones length to be contacted smoothly between the patient and the cone tip. Two types of intracavitary cones were designed. One is the straight end cones with circular opening on the distal end and the other is 30 degree beveled end cones with elliptical opening on the distal end. Each type of intracavitary cone ranged in daimeter from 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm and required a separate set of lower trimmer annulias cone diameter. The film phantom was designed with an internal cassette that accurately aligned the film edge with the film phantom surface. Film optical density data were measured by photodensitometer(Wellhofer 700i) Dosimetry measurements were made to commission the LINAC for 6 - 20 MeV electron using the intracavitary cones. Isodose curves were measured for all energy and cones combinations. Output is defined as the maximum dose per MU along the clinical central axis in water at 113 cm SSD. Calibration output, defined to be the output for the 15cm$\times$15cm diameter straight cone, was adjusted to 1.00 cGy/MU at each energy according to the TG-21 protocol.

• Journal of Computing Science and Engineering
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 2012

Increase in the number of older people due to demographic changes poses great challenges to the social healthcare systems both in the Western and as well as in the Eastern countries. Support for older people by formal care givers leads to enormous temporal and personal efforts. Therefore, one of the most important goals is to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of today's care. This can be achieved by the use of assistive technologies. These technologies are able to increase the safety of patients or to reduce the time needed for tasks that do not relate to direct interaction between the care giver and the patient. Motivated by this goal, this contribution focuses on applications of acoustic technologies to support users and care givers in ambient assisted living (AAL) scenarios. Acoustic sensors are small, unobtrusive and can be added to already existing care or living environments easily. The information gathered by the acoustic sensors can be analyzed to calculate the position of the user by localization and the context by detection and classification of acoustic events in the captured acoustic signal. By doing this, possibly dangerous situations like falls, screams or an increased amount of coughs can be detected and appropriate actions can be initialized by an intelligent autonomous system for the acoustic monitoring of older persons. The proposed system is able to reduce the false alarm rate compared to other existing and commercially available approaches that basically rely only on the acoustic level. This is due to the fact that it explicitly distinguishes between the various acoustic events and provides information on the type of emergency that has taken place. Furthermore, the position of the acoustic event can be determined as contextual information by the system that uses only the acoustic signal. By this, the position of the user is known even if she or he does not wear a localization device such as a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.665-671
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• 2007

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical features and outcome in newborns undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods : Eighty two neonates underwent heart surgery for congenital heart defect at Kyungpook National University Hospital between March 2000 and February 2006. Patient characteristics (sex, age, diagnosis), pre-operative conditions, operation type, postoperative complications and mortality were reviewed retrospectively. Results : In 82 patients, 41 (50%) were male. The mean age and weight at operation were 12 days and 3.2 kg, respectively. The common cardiac anomalies were complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA), Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum, and single ventricle variants. Fifty seven operations were performed with cardiopulmonary bypass and corrective surgery was done on 54 patients. Arterial switch operation and modified Blalock-Taussig shunt were most frequently performed as corrective and palliative operations, respectively. The early hospital mortality rate was 7%; the late mortality was 3.9%. Complications were acute renal insufficiency, delayed sternal closure, wound infection, arrhythmia, and brain hemorrhage. Conclusion : During the last 6 years, the outcomes of cardiac surgery for congenital heart defects in neonates improved by progress in perioperative, anaesthetic, surgical, and postoperative care.