• Title/Summary/Keyword: Semi-health

Search Result 525, Processing Time 0.026 seconds

Study on the Difference of Standardized Uptake Value in Fusion Image of Nuclear Medicine (핵의학 융합영상의 표준섭취계수 차이에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Jung-Soo;Park, Chan-Rok
    • Journal of radiological science and technology
    • /
    • v.41 no.6
    • /
    • pp.553-560
    • /
    • 2018
  • PET-CT and PET-MRI which integrates CT using ionized radiation and MRI using phenomena of magnetic resonance are determined to have the limitation to apply the semi-quantitative index, standardized uptake value (SUV), with the same level due to the fundamental differences of image capturing principle and reorganization, hence, their correlations were analyzed to provide their clinical information. To 30 study subjects maintaining pre-treatment, $^{18}F-FDG$ (5.18 MBq/㎏) was injected and they were scanned continuously without delaying time using $Biograph^{TM}$ mMR 3T (Siemens, Munich) and Biograph mCT 64 (Siemens, Germany), which is an integral type, under the optimized condition except the structural differences of both scanners. Upon the measurement results of $SUV_{max}$ setting volume region of interest with evenly distributed radioactive pharmaceuticals by captured images, $SUV_{max}$ mean values of PET-CT and PET-MRI were $2.94{\pm}0.55$ and $2.45{\pm}0.52$, respectively, and the value of PET-MRI was measured lower by $-20.85{\pm}7.26%$ than that of PET-CT. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in SUVs between two scanners (P<0.001), hence, SUV of PET-CT and PET-MRI cannot express the clinical meanings in the same level. Therefore, in case of the patients who undergo cross follow-up tests with PET-CT and PET-MRI, diagnostic information should be analyzed considering the conditions of SUV differences in both scanners.

Biases in the Assessment of Left Ventricular Function by Compressed Sensing Cardiovascular Cine MRI

  • Yoon, Jong-Hyun;Kim, Pan-ki;Yang, Young-Joong;Park, Jinho;Choi, Byoung Wook;Ahn, Chang-Beom
    • Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
    • /
    • v.23 no.2
    • /
    • pp.114-124
    • /
    • 2019
  • Purpose: We investigate biases in the assessments of left ventricular function (LVF), by compressed sensing (CS)-cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: Cardiovascular cine images with short axis view, were obtained for 8 volunteers without CS. LVFs were assessed with subsampled data, with compression factors (CF) of 2, 3, 4, and 8. A semi-automatic segmentation program was used, for the assessment. The assessments by 3 CS methods (ITSC, FOCUSS, and view sharing (VS)), were compared to those without CS. Bland-Altman analysis and paired t-test were used, for comparison. In addition, real-time CS-cine imaging was also performed, with CF of 2, 3, 4, and 8 for the same volunteers. Assessments of LVF were similarly made, for CS data. A fixed compensation technique is suggested, to reduce the bias. Results: The assessment of LVF by CS-cine, includes bias and random noise. Bias appeared much larger than random noise. Median of end-diastolic volume (EDV) with CS-cine (ITSC or FOCUSS) appeared -1.4% to -7.1% smaller, compared to that of standard cine, depending on CF from (2 to 8). End-systolic volume (ESV) appeared +1.6% to +14.3% larger, stroke volume (SV), -2.4% to -16.4% smaller, and ejection fraction (EF), -1.1% to -9.2% smaller, with P < 0.05. Bias was reduced from -5.6% to -1.8% for EF, by compensation applied to real-time CS-cine (CF = 8). Conclusion: Loss of temporal resolution by adopting missing data from nearby cardiac frames, causes an underestimation for EDV, and an overestimation for ESV, resulting in underestimations for SV and EF. The bias is not random. Thus it should be removed or reduced for better diagnosis. A fixed compensation is suggested, to reduce bias in the assessment of LVF.

Semi-Rational Screening of Probiotics from the Fecal Flora of Healthy Adults against DSS-Induced Colitis Mice by Enhancing Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Modulating the Gut Microbiota

  • Wang, Weiwei;Xing, Wentao;Wei, Sichen;Gao, Qiaoying;Wei, Xinliang;Shi, Liang;Kong, Yu;Su, Zhenhua
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    • /
    • v.29 no.9
    • /
    • pp.1478-1487
    • /
    • 2019
  • Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, substantially impacts patients' health-related quality of life. In this study, an effective strategy for discovering high-efficiency probiotics has been developed. First, in order to survive in the conditions of the stomach and intestine, high bile salt-resistant and strong acid-resistant strains were screened out from the fecal flora of healthy adults. Next, the probiotic candidates were rescreened by examining the induction ability of IL-10 (anti-inflammatory factor) production in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice, and Lactobacillus sakei 07 (L07) was identified and selected as probiotic P. In the end, fourteen bifidobacterium strains isolated from stools of healthy males were examined for their antimicrobial activity. Bifidobacterium bifidum B10 (73.75% inhibition rate) was selected as probiotic B. Moreover, the colonic IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ expression of the DSS-induced colitis mice treated with L. sakei 07 (L07) - B. bifidum B10 combination (PB) significantly decreased and the IL-10 expression was up-regulated by PB compared to the DSS group. Furthermore, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria decreased and Firmicutes increased in the DSS group mice, significantly. More interestingly, the intestinal flora biodiversity of DSS colitis mice was increased by PB. Of those, the level of B. bifidum increased significantly. The Bacteriodetes/Firmicutes (B/F) ratio increased, and the concentration of homocysteine and LPS in plasma was down-regulated by PB in the DSS-induced colitis mice. Upon administration of PB, the intestinal permeability of the the DSS-induced colitis mice was decreased by approximately 2.01-fold. This method is expected to be used in high-throughput screening of the probiotics against colitis. In addition, the L. sakei 07 - B. bifidum B10 combination holds potential in UC remission by immunomodulatory and gut microbiota modulation.

Experience of nursing students about the barriers to patient education: a qualitative study in Iran

  • Abbasi, Mohammad;Rabiei, Leili;Masoudi, Reza
    • Korean journal of medical education
    • /
    • v.30 no.4
    • /
    • pp.327-337
    • /
    • 2018
  • Purpose: Patient education is a dynamic and continuous process that should be implemented during the entire time of hospital stay and even afterward. Studies have shown the typically poor quality of patient education in Iran and its failure to convey the required knowledge and skills to patients. The purpose of this study was to survey the experience of nursing students in regard to the challenges of patient education in hospitals. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the conventional qualitative content analysis approach on a sample of 21 undergraduate nursing students (4th semester and beyond), which was drawn from the Qom Nursing and Midwifery School through purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted over a period of 45 to 75 minutes, and were analyzed using the conventional qualitative content analysis. Results: Results were derived from the experiences of 21 nursing students (nine males, 12 females) about the research subject. The primary themes identified in the study were the student-related, patient-related, instructor-related, education environment-related, and curriculum-related barriers to patient educations. Conclusion: Participants believed that patient education in Iranian hospitals is faced with many challenges. Nursing instructors and curriculum planners should ensure more emphasis on patient education at the initial semesters of nursing education curriculum and make sure that it is included in the evaluation of students. Hospital officials should provide a dedicated education environment with suitable facilities, tools, and atmosphere for patient education. Also, special education programs need to be developed for less educated patients.

Changes in Liver Enzymes and Metabolic Profile in Adolescents with Fatty Liver following Exercise Interventions

  • Iraji, Hamdollah;Minasian, Vazgen;Kelishadi, Roya
    • Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
    • /
    • v.24 no.1
    • /
    • pp.54-64
    • /
    • 2021
  • Purpose: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most frequent cause of chronic liver diseases in both adults and children with obesity. The aim of this study was to compare the changes in liver enzymes and metabolic profile in adolescents with fatty liver following selected school-based exercise (SBE) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) interventions. Methods: In a semi-experimental study, 34 obese male adolescents with clinically defined NAFLD were divided into the HIIT (n=11, age=12.81±1.02 years, body mass index [BMI]=26.68±2.32 kg/㎡), selected SBE (n=11, age=13.39±0.95 years, BMI=26.47±1.74 kg/㎡), and control (n=12, age=13.14±1.49 years, BMI=26.45±2.21 kg/㎡) groups. The ultrasonography NAFLD grade, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), lipid profile, insulin resistance, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels of the participants were measured before and after the exercise interventions. Results: The BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage of the participants decreased, and a significant increase in VO2peak was observed after the intervention; however, the HIIT group showed a significant improvement compared with the SBE group (p<0.01). Significant reductions were observed in the levels of insulin resistance, triglyceride, total cholesterol, ALT, and AST in both groups, although high-density lipoprotein levels decreased only in the HIIT group (p<0.01). Further, a significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein level was observed in the training groups (p<0.01), but this decrease was not significant compared with the control group (p>0.01). Conclusion: HIIT and SBE are equally effective in improving health parameters in obese children and adolescents.

Quality Control of Majoon-e-Nisyan and its Acute Oral Toxicity Study in Experimental Rats

  • Shaikh, Masud;Husain, Gulam M.;Naikodi, Mohammed Abdul Rasheed;Kazmi, Munawwar H.;Viquar, Uzma
    • CELLMED
    • /
    • v.11 no.1
    • /
    • pp.2.1-2.8
    • /
    • 2021
  • The clinical condition Amnesia causes difficulty in learning new information and the inability to recall past events. It is primarily concerned with recent memory loss. Majoon-e-Nisyan (MJN) is a polyherbal Unani formulation, present in a semi-solid form. It is widely used potent drug of the Unani System of Medicine (USM) for treating Nisyan (amnesia). In the present study polyherbal Unani formulation, MJN has been studied for its quality control and acute toxicity. Standardization (quality control) of drugs deals with drug identity, drug quality and purity determination. Standardization of MJN had been done as per the Unani pharmacopoeial parameters approved by World Health Organization (WHO) - Pharmacognostical parameters, Physico-chemical parameters, high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), microbial load, aflatoxin, and heavy metals. Solvents and chemicals used in the study were of analytical grade and used instrument were calibrated. By conducting an acute oral toxicity study in rats, the safety of MJN was assessed. The limit test method of OECD guideline 425 was followed in the study. Results of standardization and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for preparation of MJN may serve as the standard reference in the future. The data generated in the study for the quality control of MJN proved the quality of formulation and shows that MJN is not toxic in rats following acute dosing up to 2000 mg/kg bw. The data obtained in the paper for MJN may be used as a standard guideline for preparation of the formulation which can save time, cost, and resources for future research endeavours.

Effect of iodine restriction on short-term changes in thyroid function in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism

  • Kwon, Obin;Shin, Dong Yeob;Lee, Eun Jig
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
    • /
    • v.55 no.2
    • /
    • pp.250-262
    • /
    • 2022
  • Purpose: Elevated iodine intake is related to a higher prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). We investigated the short-term effect of dietary iodine restriction on thyroid function in patients with SCH with high iodine intakes. Methods: The iodine levels in 64 SCH patients with serum TSH levels from 4.0 to 10.0 mIU/L and normal serum fT4 levels (n = 64) were assessed using 24-hour urine iodine test results and iodine intake levels calculated using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Dietary iodine restriction was not recommended for patients with an iodine intake in the normal range (group A, n = 13), but seaweed restriction was recommended for patients with high iodine intakes (group B, n = 33). Thyroid functions and iodine levels were rechecked after three months. Another eighteen patients were prescribed thyroid hormone replacement therapy according to clinical criteria. Results: Median baseline iodine intake for the 64 patients was 290.61 ㎍/day, and median 24-hour urine iodine was 33.65 µmol/g of creatinine. The major source of dietary iodine was seaweed, which accounted for 72.2% of median baseline intake. Urine iodine and calculated iodine intake levels were positively correlated with serum TSH levels (p < 0.001 and p = 0.027, respectively), and calculated iodine intakes were significantly correlated with urine iodine levels (p = 0.001). In group B, iodine restriction significantly decreased urine iodine (p = 0.042) and TSH levels (p = 0.004), and conversion to euthyroid status was achieved in 16 of the 33 patients (48.5%). Conclusion: Iodine intake and urine iodine levels are correlated with thyroid function in SCH patients, and dietary iodine restriction can aid functional thyroid recovery in patients with elevated iodine intakes.

Investigation of Millennials' Perception of Vegan Trends and Future Needs (밀레니얼 세대의 비건트렌드에 대한 인식 및 미래 요구도 조사)

  • Song, Eun-Hye;Jung, Bok-Mi
    • Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
    • /
    • v.27 no.5
    • /
    • pp.373-386
    • /
    • 2022
  • Objectives: This study examined the perception of the vegan trend of millennials and their future needs. Methods: This study was conducted online from June 21, 2021, to July 15, 2021, targeting 425 adult men and women born between 1980 and 2000. The contents of the survey were divided into four categories: general information, awareness of vegetables, awareness of vegan trends, and future needs for vegan trends. Results: Most respondents recognized the importance of eating vegetables and perceived vegetarianism and veganism as a lifestyle. Regarding the perception of the vegan trend, the highest response rate was 'The vegan trend is to be satisfied with my life regardless of other people', while the lowest response rate was 'The vegan trend is only a temporary fad'. The reasons for purchasing vegan products with high response rates were 'interest in the earth and environment', 'protection of animal rights', and 'thinking about health'. The type of vegan product wanted in the future was delicious food, and convenience level was in the order of 'completely cooked', 'half-cooked', and 'pre-processed'. Among the sustainable vegetarian types that millennials responded, 'semi-vegetarian', which can consume most animal products excluding red meat, showed the highest response rate. Conclusions: The positive perceptions about vegetables are expected to increase. Efforts should be made to develop convenient meals using vegetables and provide reasonable prices to expand vegetable intake.

A Qualitative Study on Experiences of Daily Life and Korean Medicine Utilization of Caregivers of Children with Tic Disorders (틱장애 아동 보호자의 일상 및 한의치료 이용 경험에 대한 질적 연구)

  • Seok-In, Yoon;Hyo-Weon, Suh;Misun, Lee;Sunggyu, Hong;Sun-Yong, Chung
    • Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
    • /
    • v.33 no.4
    • /
    • pp.361-376
    • /
    • 2022
  • Objectives: To understand experiences of daily life and Korean medicine treatment process and perspectives of caregivers caring for children with tic disorder. Methods: A semi-structured interview was conducted with caregivers of patients under 13 years who were experiencing Korean medicine treatment for tic disorder. A total of five participants were interviewed. The analysis was performed according to a four-step phenomenological method. Results: The following four components were derived from the experience of caring for children with tic disorder: general perception of tics, negative emotions caused by tics, social deprivation, and living with a child with tics. The following four components were derived from Korean medicine treatment experience for tic disorders: criteria for selecting treatment, awareness of Korean medicine, treatment experience in Korean medicine, and what needs to be improved. Conclusions: According to results of this study, caregivers caring for children with tic disorder experienced negative emotions such as frustration, guilt, and anxiety. They also experienced social deprivation such as stigma and prejudice. Korean medicine treatment can be an effective alternative for improving symptoms of tic disorders. The application of insurance benefits to Korean medicine is needed for patients and caregivers to autonomously choose treatment.

A Qualitative Analysis of Psychiatric Patients' Experiences and Perceptions of Korean Medicine Utilization - Preliminary Study (정신과 환자의 한의의료 이용경험 및 인식에 대한 질적 분석 - 예비연구)

  • Moon, Seung-Hwan;Jang, Bo-Hyoung;Suh, Hyo-Weon;Kim, Jong Woo;Chung, Sun-Yong
    • Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
    • /
    • v.33 no.2
    • /
    • pp.123-131
    • /
    • 2022
  • Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience and perception of using Korean medicine treatments for patients with mental disorders. Methods: The method of a qualitative analysis was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The researchers developed the survey questionnaires with consultation from psychiatrists from various university hospitals. Before conducting interviews, an IRB was approved KHSIRB-21-131 (RA), and the Hankook Research Company managed the interviews. The question composition comprised 11 questions based on symptoms and treatment situations accompanying treatment due to mental distress, perception of Korean medicine, awareness of treatment costs, and awareness of treatment costs. Results: A total of six patients were interviewed. Each interviewee took 90 minutes to answer questions. Through the analysis of the data, the patients comprised four categories: characteristics, awareness of Korean medicine, awareness of Western treatment, and daily life due to mental disorder. The experience and perception of patients using Korean medicine showed positive attitudes. There was an opinion among patients that Korean medicine treatment was less dependent on drugs, and had fewer side effects, than Western medicine. Some patients said that Korean medical treatment is expensive and burdensome medical expenses. Some patients were not aware of the application of insurance to mitigate medical expenses. Conclusions: Based on the findings of the study, it is urgent to expand the application of insurance benefits to Korean medicine.