• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.637-644
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• 2018

Objectives: In this study, the tongue features of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) were compared with those of healthy controls. Methods: This prospective, case-control study was conducted on patients with FD and controls recruited at a single center. After screening, the subjects were allocated to the patient or control groups (patients=42, controls=40). Tongue images were acquired using a computerized tongue image acquisition system (CTIS). An independent t-test was conducted to compare the measurements from patients and controls. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine significant differences between the two groups after adjusting for age and sex. Results: The CIE $a^*$ color value in the tongue coating area was significantly lower in the patients with FD than in the controls (p=0.001). The tongue coating ratios were also significantly higher in the FD group than in the control group (p=0.003). We found that the CIE $a^*$ color value in the tongue coating area and the tongue coating ratios were significant predictive factors in both groups, based on binary regression analysis (p=0.016, 0.044, respectively). Conclusions: This study found that FD was significantly associated with CIE $a^*$ color value in the tongue coating area and tongue coating ratios. We suggest that these factors could be used as objective indicators of FD.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.40
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• pp.17.1-17.7
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• 2018

Background: Bisphosphonate (BP) has the ability to thicken the cortical bone. In addition, it has been reported that the cortical bone thickened by BP has relation to the medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Therefore, the objective of this article is to analyze the ratio as well as thickness of cortical bone in the mandible using computed tomography (CT) and to evaluate it as the predictive factor of MRONJ. Methods: The thickness of the cortical bone was measured on a paraxial view of the CT showing the mental foramen in 95 patients: 33 patients with MRONJ (3 males, 30 females), 30 patients taking BP without MRONJ (2 males, 28 females), and 32 controls (9 males, 28 females). Also, the ratios of the cortical bone to the total bone were obtained using the measured values. Based on these results, we compared the difference of mandibular cortical bone ratio between the three groups. Results: The average cortical bone thickness was measured as 3.81 mm in patients with MRONJ, 3.39 mm in patients taking BP without MRONJ, and 3.23 mm in controls. There was only a significant difference between patients with MRONJ and controls (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the average mandibular cortical bone ratio was measured as 37.9% in patients with MRONJ, 27.9% in patients taking BP without MRONJ, and 23.3% in controls. There was a significant difference between all groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The mandibular cortical bone ratio is large in order of patients with MRONJ, patients taking BP without MRONJ, and controls. This result suggests that the mandibular cortical bone ratio would be very useful to predict the development of MRONJ.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.900-907
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• 2014

This paper proposes a MPC (Model Predictive Control) method for the torque and flux controls of induction motor. The proposed MPC method selects the optimized voltage vector for the matrix converter control using the predictive modeling equation of the induction motor and cost function. Hence, the reference voltage vector that minimizes the cost function of the torque and flux error within the control period is selected and applied to the actual system. As a result, it is possible to perform the torque and flux control of induction motor using only the MPC controller without a PI (Proportional-Integral) or hysteresis controller. Even though the proposed control algorithm is more complicated and has lots of computations compared with the conventional MPC, it can perform torque ripple reduction by synthesizing voltage vectors of various magnitude. This feature provides the reduction of amount of calculations and the improvement of the control performance through the adjustment of the number of the unit vectors n. The proposed control method is validated through the PSIM simulation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.87 no.1
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• pp.80-90
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• 2024

Background: There are many methods of evaluating diaphragmatic function, including trans-diaphragmatic pressure measurements, which are considered the key rule of diagnosis. We studied the clinical usefulness of chest ultrasonography in evaluating stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and those in exacerbation, focusing on diaphragmatic measurements and their correlation with spirometry and other clinical parameters. Methods: In a prospective case-control study, we enrolled 100 COPD patients divided into 40 stable COPD patients and 60 patients with exacerbation. The analysis included 20 age-matched controls. In addition to the clinical assessment of the study population, radiological evaluation included chest radiographs and chest computed tomography. Transthoracic ultrasonography (TUS) was performed for all included subjects. Results: Multiple A lines (more than 3) were more frequent in COPD exacerbation than in stable patients, as was the case for B-lines. TUS significantly showed high specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy in detecting pleural effusion, consolidation, pneumothorax, and lung mass. Diaphragmatic measurements were significantly lower among stable COPD subjects than healthy controls. Diaphragmatic thickness and excursion displayed a significant negative correlation with body mass index and the dyspnea scale, and a positive correlation with spirometry measures. Patients in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) group D showed lower diaphragmatic measurements (thickness and excursion). Conclusion: The TUS of COPD patients both in stable and exacerbated conditions and the assessment of diaphragm excursion and thickness by TUS in COPD patients and their correlations to disease-related factors proved informative and paved the way for the better management of COPD patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.351-354
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• 2013

Objective: To assess the practical utility of pleural fluid carbonic anhydrase XII (CAXII) quantification for differential diagnosis of effusions. Materials and Methods: Fluid was collected prospectively from fifty patients presenting with lymphocytic pleural effusions for investigation and CAXII was quantified by ELISA. Results: Pleural fluid CAXII concentrations were significantly higher in lung cancer patients (n=30) than in tuberculous controls (n=20). The sensitivity and specificity of this biomarker were 60%and 75%, respectively. CAXII measurement was not inferior to cytological examination in the diagnosis and exclusion of pleural effusions from lung cancer patitents (sensitivity 60% vs. 57%; specificity 75% vs. 100%; positive predictive value 77%; negative predictive value 54%). In patients with negative cytology, it offered a sensitivity of 54%. Conclusions: Pleural fluid CAXII is elevated in pleural effusions from lung cancer patients. Measurement of CAXII may be used in the future as a valuable adjunct to cytology in the diagnostic assessment of patients with pleural effusions related to lung cancer, especially when cytological examination is inconclusive.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.569-573
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• 2012

Early diagnosis and better prognosis of ovarian cancer is still a challenge. Besides environmental risk factors, genetic factors have established a role in pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. Methods: A case-control and a prospective study design conducted in 224 ovarian cancer patients and 432 controls in Chinese population. MTHFR C677T genotyping was done by PCR-RFLP. Results: Patients with ovarian cancer is associated with a higher less number of delivery and less frequent oral contraceptive use. When potential confounding factors adjusted logistic regression analysis between cases and controls were performed, significant association was obtained for 677T/T genotype and ovarian cancer (OR=3.13, 95% CI=1.59-5.72). Cox regression survival analysis showed individuals carrying T/T genotype had significantly increased HR for death in ovarian cancer patients (HR=2.86, 95% CI=1.27-7.93). In conclusion, we observed that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility and survival of ovarian cancer in Chinese population.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.405-409
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• 2008

Over 70% of the land is mountains in Korea, so that many roadways naturally includes tunnels. The air flow inside tunnel has complex characteristics, such that a new flow field is formed by following vehicles passing through the tunnel before previous flow field is stabilized. Due to these time delayed-transient characteristics, the ventilation facility requires the complex control algorithm that can handle adaptive and predictive controls. Also, it needs to be closely related to the disaster prevention system. The technology to integrate these system determines the success of TGMS. The pollutant levels exhausted from the vehicles passing through tunnel depend on vehicle years and passing velocity. They also depend on the slope and altitude of the tunnel. In order to solve this problem, an algorithm for estimating the compensating factors for calculating on design capacity of ventilation facilities was developed. Also, an integrated ventilation control algorithm with disaster prevention program to operate several tunnels was developed based on TGMS.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.236-242
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• 2003

ATM ABR service controls network traffic using feedback information on the network congestion situation in order to guarantee the demanded service qualities and the available cell rates. In this paper we apply the control method using queue length prediction to the formation of feedback information for more efficient ABR traffic control. If backward node receive the longer delayed feedback information on the impending congestion, the switch can be already congested from the uncontrolled arriving traffic and the fluctuation of queue length can be inefficiently high in the continuing time intervals. The feedback control method proposed in this paper predicts the queue length in the switch using the slope of queue length prediction function and queue length changes in time-series. The predicted congestion information is backward to the node. NLMS and neural network are used as the predictive control functions, and they are compared from performance on the queue length prediction. Simulation results show the efficiency of the proposed method compared to the feedback control method without the prediction. Therefore, we conclude that the efficient congestion and stability of the queue length controls are possible using the prediction scheme that can resolve the problems caused from the longer delays of the feedback information.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3819-3823
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• 2013

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The outcome of HCC depends mainly on its early diagnosis. To date, the performance of traditional biomarkers is unsatisfactory. Talins were firstly identified as cytoplasmic protein partners of integrins but Talin-1 appears to play a crucial role in cancer formation and progression. Our study was conducted to assess the diagnostic value of serum Talin-1 (TLN1) compared to the most feasible traditional biomarker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for the diagnosis of HCC. Methods: TLN1 was detected using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 120 Egyptian subjects including 40 with HCC, 40 with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 40 healthy controls (HC). Results: ROC curve analysis was used to create a predictive model for TLN1 relative to AFP in HCC diagnosis. Serum levels of TLN1 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients were significantly higher compared to the other groups (p<0.0001). The diagnostic accuracy of TLN1 was higher than that of AFP regarding sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in diagnosis of HCC. Conclusions: The present study showed for the first time that Talin-1 (TLN1) is a potential diagnostic marker for HCC, with a higher sensitivity and specificity compared to the traditional biomarker AFP.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.8
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• pp.329-334
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• 2020

Background: Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal mortality. Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels may have a predictive role in the identification and prevention of hypoxic disorders, as they increase in cases of ischemia of the liver, heart, brain, bowel, and kidney. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the value of IMA levels as a diagnostic marker for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods: Sixty newborns who fulfilled 3 or more of the clinical and biochemical criteria and developed HIE as defined by Levene staging were included in our study as the asphyxia group. Neonates with congenital malformation, systemic infection, intrauterine growth retardation, low-birth weight, cardiac or hemolytic disease, family history of neurological diseases, congenital or perinatal infections, preeclampsia, diabetes, and renal diseases were excluded from the study. Sixty healthy neonates matched for gestational age and with no maternal history of illness, established respiration at birth, and an Apgar score ≥7 at 1 and 5 minutes were included as the control group. IMA was determined by double-antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of a cord blood sample collected within 30 minutes after birth. Results: Cord blood IMA levels were higher in asphyxiated newborns than in controls (250.83±36.07 pmol/mL vs. 120.24±38.9 pmol/mL). Comparison of IMA levels by HIE stage revealed a highly significant difference among them (207.3±26.65, 259.28±11.68, 294.99±4.41 pmol/mL for mild, moderate, and severe, respectively). At a cutoff of 197.6 pmol/mL, the sensitivity was 84.5%, specificity was 86%, positive predictive value was 82.8%, negative predictive value was 88.3%, and area under the curve was 0.963 (P<0.001). Conclusion: IMA levels can be a reliable marker for the early diagnosis of neonatal HIE and can be a predictor of injury severity.