• Title/Summary/Keyword: Point-of-care systems

Search Result 69, Processing Time 0.022 seconds

Glutamate Receptor Abnormalities in Schizophrenia: Implications for Innovative Treatments

  • Rubio, Maria D.;Drummond, Jana B.;Meador-Woodruff, James H.
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
    • /
    • v.20 no.1
    • /
    • pp.1-18
    • /
    • 2012
  • Schizophrenia is a devastating psychiatric illness that afflicts 1% of the population worldwide, resulting in substantial impact to patients, their families, and health care delivery systems. For many years, schizophrenia has been felt to be associated with dysregulated dopaminergic neurotransmission as a key feature of the pathophysiology of the illness. Although numerous studies point to dopaminergic abnormalities in schizophrenia, dopamine dysfunction cannot completely account for all of the symptoms seen in schizophrenia, and dopamine-based treatments are often inadequate and can be associated with serious side effects. More recently, converging lines of evidence have suggested that there are abnormalities of glutamate transmission in schizophrenia. Glutamatergic neurotransmission involves numerous molecules that facilitate glutamate release, receptor activation, glutamate reuptake, and other synaptic activities. Evidence for glutamatergic abnormalities in schizophrenia primarily has implicated the NMDA and AMPA subtypes of the glutamate receptor. The expression of these receptors and other molecules associated with glutamate neurotransmission has been systematically studied in the brain in schizophrenia. These studies have generally revealed region- and molecule-specifi c changes in glutamate receptor transcript and protein expression in this illness. Given that glutamatergic neurotransmission has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, recent drug development efforts have targeted the glutamate system. Much effort to date has focused on modulation of the NMDA receptor, although more recently other glutamate receptors and transporters have been the targets of drug development. These efforts have been promising thus far, and ongoing efforts to develop additional drugs that modulate glutamatergic neurotransmission are underway that may hold the potential for novel classes of more effective treatments for this serious psychiatric illness.

An Analysis of Formation Process and Construction of Space in Sorok-Island Leprosy Villages (소록도 한센마을의 형성과정 및 공간구성에 관한 연구)

  • Yang, Ga-Yeong;Cheon, Deuk-Youm;Choi, Jeong-Mi
    • Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
    • /
    • v.34 no.8
    • /
    • pp.105-116
    • /
    • 2018
  • The architecture reflects geographical characteristics such as geographical environments and climate, it has the characteristics and cultural characteristics of the region that has been constructed. Hansen Village constructed in Period of Japanese Occupation at 'Sorok-Island' in Go-heung, Jeollanam-do was also based on this point. The village, which is a ward of Sorok-Island Province, consists of a village in which patients are self-sufficient in economic and social activities, unlike the modern hospital systems where patients and treatments are concentrated in a single room. Additionally, the facilities for patient acceptance were gradually expanded, with limited interaction with external. Sorok-island shows the expansion of the village center where the new village is formed with the increase of the number of the early adopters in the 1910s and the accommodation facility is built, and it gradually increases the necessary space by opening and repairing the existing facilities by the 1990s Change. In addition, the spatial composition of the village can be divided into three types : decentralized, centralized and single-shift ; it has the same causal relationship as the village's formation. The purpose of this study is identifying the uniqueness of Sorok-Island by analyzing the correlation between the formation of a village to accommodate Hansen Patients in Sorok-Island and the spatial Component Factor.

Development of an Automatic PCR System Combined with Magnetic Bead-based Viral RNA Concentration and Extraction

  • MinJi Choi;Won Chang Cho;Seung Wook Chung;Daehong Kim;Il-Hoon Cho
    • Biomedical Science Letters
    • /
    • v.29 no.4
    • /
    • pp.363-370
    • /
    • 2023
  • Human respiratory viral infections such as COVID-19 are highly contagious, so continuous management of airborne viruses is essential. In particular, indoor air monitoring is necessary because the risk of infection increases in poorly ventilated indoors. However, the current method of detecting airborne viruses requires a lot of time from sample collection to confirmation of results. In this study, we proposed a system that can monitor airborne viruses in real time to solve the deficiency of the present method. Air samples were collected in liquid form through a bio sampler, in which case the virus is present in low concentrations. To detect viruses from low-concentration samples, viral RNA was concentrated and extracted using silica-magnetic beads. RNA binds to silica under certain conditions, and by repeating this binding reaction, bulk samples collected from the air can be concentrated. After concentration and extraction, viral RNA is specifically detected through real-time qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction). In addition, based on liquid handling technology, we have developed an automatic machine that automatically performs the entire testing process and can be easily used even by non-experts. To evaluate the system, we performed air sample collection and automated testing using bacteriophage MS2 as a model virus. As a result, the air-collected samples concentrated by 45 times then initial volume, and the detection sensitivity of PCR also confirmed a corresponding improvement.

A Study on Climate Characteristics of Waterfront in Busan Area (부산지역 워터프런트의 기후특성에 관한 연구)

  • Doe, Geun-Young;Lee, Han-Seok;Koh, Sung-Cheol;Hyun, Beom-Soo;Yoo, Jong-Su
    • Journal of Navigation and Port Research
    • /
    • v.26 no.4
    • /
    • pp.465-472
    • /
    • 2002
  • The waterfront has distinct climate characteristics different from urban or inland area. These may create not only the rise of energy and maintenance costs for facilities located at waterfront areas, but also the negative effects on the climate of the nearby inland area, unless these are treated with particular care. For the present study, the climate characteristics of waterfront were examined with climate data of 10 observation points carefully selected in Busan area. Each weather observation point was classified into either waterfront area of inland area, based on the distance from the coastal line. Special considerations were given to the climate data gathered at the Dae-Yeon weather station because it shows the climate characteristics similar to those of inland area, although it is located very near the waterfront area. Results indicates that this peculiar climate condition attributes, at least in part, to the reclamation of frontal coastal area.

Serial venous lactate measurement following gastrointestinal surgery in horses

  • Smanik, Lauren E.;Moser, Darla K.;Rothers, Kris P.;Hackett, Eileen S.
    • Journal of Veterinary Science
    • /
    • v.23 no.5
    • /
    • pp.66.1-66.8
    • /
    • 2022
  • Background: Prospective clinical study of blood lactate concentration in horses undergoing colic surgery is needed to determine utility in outcome prediction. Objectives: To evaluate venous lactate measurements in horses following colic surgery, including immediately after anesthetic recovery and daily throughout hospitalization, as well as to determine if lactate concentrations were significantly higher in horses that developed postoperative complications or did not survive to hospital discharge. Methods: Horses > 1 year of age undergoing surgery for colic and recovered from general anesthesia were sampled. A portable lactate meter was used to measure venous samples collected immediately following anesthetic recovery and daily throughout hospitalization. Complications arising during hospitalization and survival to hospital discharge were recorded. Results: Fifty one horses were enrolled, ranging in age from 2 to 29 years. Lactate concentration immediately following anesthetic recovery was higher in horses that developed complications during hospitalization (p = 0.046). The odds of developing complications postoperatively were doubled for horses with a venous lactate concentration > 5 mmol/L. Lactate measurements in non-survivors were significantly higher compared to survivors by 96 h postoperatively (p < 0.006). Conclusions: Higher venous lactate concentrations in the postoperative colic period were associated with an increased risk of complications and death. Results suggest horses with higher venous lactate measurements in recovery are more likely to have postoperative complications, with the odds of developing complications doubled for horses with a venous lactate > 5 mmol/L. Evaluation of venous lactate could provide information on prognosis in the postoperative period for horses with surgical colic.

Recent Advances in Electrochromic Sensors (전기화학 기반의 전기 변색 센서 연구 동향)

  • Seo, Minjee
    • Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
    • /
    • v.25 no.4
    • /
    • pp.125-133
    • /
    • 2022
  • Along with the increasing need for point-of-care diagnostics, development of portable, user-friendly, as well as sensitive sensors have gained intensive attention. Among various strategies, electrochromic sensors, which are electrochemically operated colorimetric sensors, have been actively studied. With their ability to report the presence and concentration of analytes by optical signals, electrochromic sensors utilize the advantages of both electrochemical and colorimetric sensors, enabling the simplification of device composition as well as convenient interpretation of results. Up to date, electrochromic sensors have been applied for a wide range of analytes, and further developments such as the introduction of flexible platforms or self-powered systems have been reported, providing a path towards the development of wearable sensor devices. In this review, various types of electrochromic sensors, according to the main strategy in which the electrochemical signals are converted to colorimetric signals, are introduced.

A Simultaneous Real-Time Heart Rate Monitoring System for Multiple Users (다수 이용자를 위한 동시적 실시간 심박수 모니터링 시스템)

  • Ha, Sangho
    • KIPS Transactions on Computer and Communication Systems
    • /
    • v.4 no.8
    • /
    • pp.253-258
    • /
    • 2015
  • From the point of view of u-healthcare, heart rate is so useful for both illness for taking care of patients and wellness for improving the level of health and wellbeing. It is because heart rate is a significant clinical variable for all kinds of diseases as well as an indicator of the intensity of exercise. Recently, a number of various wearable heart rate monitors have been released to check people's status in the body by monitoring their heart rates. In addition, a number of smartphone applications have been released to conveniently monitor the status of exercise by using heart rate monitors. However, all of these applications are limited to a personal usage. In this paper, we will design a system to simultaneously monitor heart rates coming from multiple users in a real-time, and develop an Android application to apply the system. The application mainly features a simultaneous monitoring of heart rates coming from multiple users, allowing to be effectively applied to fitness centers.

Artificial Intelligence Technology Trends and IBM Watson References in the Medical Field (인공지능 왓슨 기술과 보건의료의 적용)

  • Lee, Kang Yoon;Kim, Junhewk
    • Korean Medical Education Review
    • /
    • v.18 no.2
    • /
    • pp.51-57
    • /
    • 2016
  • This literature review explores artificial intelligence (AI) technology trends and IBM Watson health and medical references. This study explains how healthcare will be changed by the evolution of AI technology, and also summarizes key technologies in AI, specifically the technology of IBM Watson. We look at this issue from the perspective of 'information overload,' in that medical literature doubles every three years, with approximately 700,000 new scientific articles being published every year, in addition to the explosion of patient data. Estimates are also forecasting a shortage of oncologists, with the demand expected to grow by 42%. Due to this projected shortage, physicians won't likely be able to explore the best treatment options for patients in clinical trials. This issue can be addressed by the AI Watson motivation to solve healthcare industry issues. In addition, the Watson Oncology solution is reviewed from the end user interface point of view. This study also investigates global company platform business to explain how AI and machine learning technology are expanding in the market with use cases. It emphasizes ecosystem partner business models that can support startup and venture businesses including healthcare models. Finally, we identify a need for healthcare company partnerships to be reviewed from the aspect of solution transformation. AI and Watson will change a lot in the healthcare business. This study addresses what we need to prepare for AI, Cognitive Era those are understanding of AI innovation, Cloud Platform business, the importance of data sets, and needs for further enhancement in our knowledge base.

Lattice Code of Interference Alignment for Interference Channel with 3 Users in CoMP (세 명의 사용자의 간섭 채널을 위한 협력 다중점 송수신(CoMP)에서의 격자(Lattice) 부호 간섭 정렬)

  • Lee, Moon-Ho;Peng, Bu Shi
    • Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
    • /
    • v.49 no.6
    • /
    • pp.27-38
    • /
    • 2012
  • In this paper, we introduce CoMP in 3GPP LTE-Advanced Release 11 to take care of shadowing effects appearing in cell-edge areas to meet rapidly increasing demand for high speed transmission and multi-media data. In order to mitigate interference, orthogonalizing is ideal but it is slightly difficult to be applied to real systems. Therefore, interference alignment and avoidance are used in practical applications. Interference alignment is a scheme enabling us to consider interference our friend not enemy. We show lattice codes in Gaussian channel achieve Shannon capacity where strong interference exists. In addition, we show the relationship between channel parameter a and DoF(Degree of Freedom) applying lattice codes to interference alignment for interference channel with three users.

A Compact Optical System using LED and CMOS Image Sensor for Liver Function Analysis (LED와 CMOS 이미지 센서 기반 간 기능 분석용 소형 광학장치)

  • Kim, Chul;Lim, Chang-Jin;Nam, Myung-Hyun;Kim, Dong-Sik;Seo, Sung-Kyu;Pak, Jung-Ho
    • The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
    • /
    • v.61 no.2
    • /
    • pp.270-275
    • /
    • 2012
  • This paper presents a portable and compact optical device which can conveniently be used to perform a functional analysis of human liver function. The proposed system employed red/green LEDs, as a light source, and CMOS image sensor, which is commonly used in cellular phones. With this system, several blood serum samples have been evaluated for liver functional analysis by measuring light absorption level through the blood serum samples depending on aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin concentration. The light absorption through the blood serum samples containing AST, ALT, or total bilirubin can provide their concentrations. The green light absorption is more sensitive to the concentration of AST or ALT, and the red light absorption is more sensitive to the total bilirubuin concentration. Additional calibration steps were performed by using a MATLAB program in order to eliminate the light scattering effects from the extraneous particles existing in each blood serum sample. From the blind test, three standard light intensity curves through each enzyme have been obtained and the enzyme concentration values have been compared to those obtained from a commercially available biochemistry analyzer (Toshiba 200 FR). The average percent difference in the obtained concentrations from two systems for AST, ALT, and total bilirubin concentration came out to be 7.79%, 7.98%. and 7.56%, respectively, with the adjusted coefficient of determination (R2) higher than 0.98. This system can possibly lead to a low-cost and simple system that can be used as a point-of-care (POC) system in a condition without advanced equipments.