• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.291-294
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• 2014

In this study, a chemiresistive sensor based on one-dimensional $WO_3$ nanostructures is presented for application in non-invasive medical diagnostics. $WO_3$ nanostructures were used as an active gas sensing layer and were deposited onto a $SiO_2/Si$substrate using Pt interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). The IDE spacing was $5{\mu}m$ and deposition was performed using RF sputter with glancing angle deposition mode. Pt IDEs fabricated by photolithography and dry etching. In comparison with thin film sensor, sensing performance of nanostructure sensor showed an enhanced response of more than 20 times when exposed to 50 ppm acetone at $400^{\circ}C$. Such a remarkable faster response can pave the way for a new generation of exhaled breath analyzers based on chemiresistive sensors which are less expensive, more reliable, and less complicated to be manufactured. Moreover, presented sensor technology has the potential of being used as a personalized medical diagnostics tool in the near future.

• Journal of Auto-vehicle Safety Association
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2015

The relationship between BAC(Blood Alcohol Concentrations) and BrACs(Breath Alcohol Concentrations) and also partition ratio of healthy Korean adult males (96 males) are researched in this paper and its dependency is described according to TBW (total body water), BMI (body mass index), BFM (body fat mass), and PBF (percentage of body fat). Among the above four variables, TBW affects significantly to the partition ratio compared to the other variables. The partition ratio of Korean healthy males showed 1,913 (95 % Confidence Interval (C.I.) from 1,889 to 1,937) for the whole time intervals. However, when Q was averaged after 60 minutes later, its values was 2,011 (95 % C.I. from 1,982 to 2,040). Bland-Altman plots showed the compatibility of measurement methods of multi-gas analyzer, and the biases according to the partition ratios (Q=2,100 and Q=1,913) gave -0.0052 % (95 % CI from -0.0059 to -0.0045%) and -0.0004 % (95 % CI from -0.0011 to +0.0003%), respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2005

Purpose: $^{14}C$-urea breath test (UBT) is a non-invasive and reliable method for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of a new and rapid $^{14}C$-UBT (Heliprobe method), which was equipped with $Geiger-M\ddot{u}ller$ counter and compared the results with those obtained by using the conventional method. Materials and Methods: Forty-nine patients with dyspepsia underwent gastroduodenoscopy and $^{14}C$-UBT. A 37 KBq $^{14}C$-urea capsule was administered to patients and breath samples were collected. In Heliprobe method, patients exhaled into a Hellprobe BreathCard for 10 min. And then the activities of the BreathCard were countered using Heliprobe analyzer. In the conventional method, results were countered using liquid scintillation counter. During gastroduodenoscopy, 18 of 49 patients were underwent biopsies. According to these histologic results, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of two different methods and compared them. Also we evaluated the concordant and disconcordant rates between them. Results: In all 49 patients, concordant rate of both conventional and Heliprobe methods was 98% (48/49) and the discordant rate was 2% (1/49). Thirteen of 18 patients to whom biopsies were applied, were found to be HP positive on histologic results. And both Heliprobe method and conventional method classified 13 of 13 HP-positive patients and 5 of 5 HP-negative patients correctly (sensitivity 100%, specificity 100%, accuracy 100%). Conclusion: The Heliprobe method demonstrated the same diagnostic performance compared with the conventional method and was a simpler and more rapid technique.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.383-387
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• 2016

Well-ordered nanocolumnar indium oxide ($In_2O_3$) thin films have been successfully fabricated by glancing angle deposition (GAD) using an e-beam evaporator. Nanocolumnar structures have a porous and large surface area with a narrow neck between nanocolumns, which allows them to detect minute amounts of gases. The nanocolumnar $In_2O_3$ thin films were fabricated by the GAD process at five different positions, viz. top, bottom, center, left, and right in a four inch substrate holder. There was a divergence in the thickness and the base resistance of each sensor. However, all the sensors exhibited extremely high sensitivity that was greater than $10^3$ times the change in electrical resistance after being exposed to 50 ppm of acetone gas at $300^{\circ}C$. Furthermore, the nanocolumnar $In_2O_3$ sensors displayed an extremely low detection limit (1.2 ppb) in dry atmosphere as well as in high humidity (80%). We demonstrated that the GAD nanocolumnar $In_2O_3$ sensors have an enormous potential for many applications owing to their particularly simple and reliable fabrication process.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.183-192
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of postural correction training on pulmonary function on 28 college students suspected of turtle neck syndrome, and the following conclusions were obtained. Methods : Turtle neck syndrome suspicion 28 person were randomly divided into a posture training group (n = 14) and group that does not perform posture training (n = 14). Respiratory function was measured by SPIROVIT SP-1 and respiratory gas analyzer. The posture training group performed balloon blowing and stair climbing after 20 minutes of posture training, and the group without posture training carried out balloon blowing training and stair climbing. Five times a week and for two weeks. Results : 1. The comparison of the FVC before and after experiments caused by balloon blowing showed a higher level of effortful pulmonary function in the control group than in the experimental group. 2. Comparison of PEFs before and after the experiment by balloon blowing showed that the experimental group's peak flow rate was higher than that of the control group. 3. Comparison of the FIVC before and after experiments with balloon blowing showed that the comparison of the FIVC showed a higher level of effortless intake pulmonary function in the control group than in the experimental group. 4. The comparison of the maximum ventilation volume(VE) before and after the experimental gas measurement showed that the maximum ventilation rate of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group. 5. The comparison of pre-test and post-test heart rate(HR) by breath gas measurement showed that the heart rate of the control group was higher than that of the experimental group. Conclusion : the results of this study showed that postural correction training, balloon blowing training, and stair climbing could have a positive impact on improving pulmonary function. However, the two-week experiment conducted five times a week showed an increase in pulmonary function, but it was difficult to see the effect due to the short study period. Therefore, it is hoped that later studies will be conducted more systematically on the effects of breathing exercises on improving pulmonary function after post-postural correction training for patients with pulmonary function problems.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.176-188
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• 1999

Objective : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol on neurocognitive function, psychomotor performance and subjective response in healthy Korean adults with different ALDH2 genotypes. Method : A total of 24 males, half with active $ALDH2^*1/2^*1$ and the other with inactive $ALDH2^*1/2^*2$, was selected through genotyping using restriction fragment length polymorphism. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design, each subject consumed 0.5g/kg dose of alcohol, given as a mixture of 40% vodka and orange juice, and placebo(orange juice) on two separate occasions on an average of weekly intervals. The blood alcohol concentrations(BACs) were measured using a breath analyzer at baseline and at 30, 60 minutes after drinking. P300s were measured at baseline and at 30 minutes after alcohol and placebo intake. Vital signs and psychomotor performance[Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold(CFFT), Choice Reaction Time (CRT), Digit Symbol Substitution(DSS)] were measured at baseline and at 60 minutes after alcohol and placebo intake. Subjective responses were measured at the end of the study. The statistical analysis focused on whether there were any differences between groups with different ALDH2 genotypes. Results : The major results are as follows. 1) BACs in the inactive group were overall equivalent to those in the active group. Only in terms of time, BACs were significantly higher overall at 30 minutes than at 60 minutes after alcohol intake. 2) Pulse rates were significantly increased after alcohol intake compared with placebo, and the increase was greater in the inactive than in the active group. 3) P300 latencies in leads Fz(frontal), Cz(cental) and Pz(parietal) were significantly increased after alcohol intake compared to placebo, and the increase was greater in the inactive than in the active group. P300 amplitudes in leads Cz and Pz were significantly decreased overall after alcohol intake compared to placebo. 4) Compared with placebo, alcohol produced significant effect on the psychomotor performance : impairment in the inactive group, improvement in the active group. 5) Compared with placebo, alcohol significantly induced a negative or an intense effect on the subjective responses in the inactive group, but little negative and even a somewhat positive effect in the active group. Conclusions : These results suggest that ALDH isozyme variance might be an important factor to determine the effects of acute dose of alcohol on the various psychobehavioural functions and also to determine the alcohol use pattern and to predict the future development of alcohol overuse and/or abuse.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.248-254
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• 2003

Objective : This study was conducted in order to investigate predictors of smoking cessation in outpatients. Method : Subjects were 40f adult smoking patients who saw their doctors in the outpatient setting at a university hospital, regardless of their willingness of otherwise in smoking cessation. Physicians delivered a brief, stop smoking prompt to all patients who smoked one or more cigarettes a day. Then they referred to on-site counselors who provided a brief, nurse assisted intervention with a survey to a randomly assigned intervention group (200 smoking patients), whom the counselors telephoned later to prevent relapse or promote the motivation to quit, or gave only a survey to a control group (201 smoking patients). After at least 5 months, self-reported current smoking cessation was confirmed later using cut-off values of 7 ppm or less in expired alveolar air after breath holding portable CO analyzer. Results : After 5 months, subjects in the intervention group were 1.56 times (95% C.I. 0.89-2.73) more likely to quit smoking than those in the non-intervention group (14.0% vs. 9.0%). Willingness to quit smoking in a month, scheduled admission in a month, self efficacy score and FTND (Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence) score were all significantly related with smoking cessation. In stepwise multiple logistic regression, previous attempts to quit smoking were significant instead of self efficacy score. In the intervention group who had willingness to quit smoking in a month (132 smoking patients), FTND score, whether quit date was today, and whether quit promise paper was submitting were all significantly related with smoking cessation. In stepwise multiple logistic regression, scheduled admission in a month and whether quit date was today were significant predictor variables, Smoking cessation treatment should be tailored to individual smoking patients considering these predictors.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.38-48
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• 2024

We fabricated In₂O₃ zig-zag nanocolumns(ZZNCs) by oblique angle deposition method based on e-beam evaporator for highly sensitive and selective CH₃COCH₃ sensor. Our results indicate that as the ZZNCs layer stacks, the gas response also increases. In comparison to thin films, ZZNCs at 5 layer show a 117-fold enhancement in gas response and a rapid response time (~2 s). When measured with various gases, it showed a high selectivity towards acetone. Under conditions of 80% R.H., exposure to CH₃COCH₃ gas theoretically indicated a detection limit of 1.2 part-per-billion(ppb). These results suggest the potential of In₂O₃ ZZNCs as a breath analyzer for the diagnosis of diabetes.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.222-239
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol on the psychomotor performance and subjective assessment in healthy Korean adults with acetaldehyde dehydrogenase I(ALDH-I) isozyme variance. A total of 20 male subjects, half with active ALDH-I and the other half with inactive ALDH-I, were selected through both a self-reporting questionnaire examining alcohol sensitivity and the Higuchi's ethanol patch test detecting ALDH-I deficiency. In a doule-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design, each subject consumed four doses of alcohol(0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0g/kg) and placebo on five separate occasions at weekly intervals, Treatment order was fully balanced using a $5{\times}5$ Latin square, Psychomotor performance tests[coritical flicker fusion threshold(CFF) and choice reaction time(CRT)] and self-estimate questionnaires were conducted at baseline and at time points of 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 minutes after consuming the test drug for 20 minutes, Blood alcohol concentrations(BACs) using breath analyzer were measured at baseline and at time points of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 150, 180 minutes after drinking, The BACs and the mean changes in the psychomotor performances and subjective assessments from pre-alcohol baseline, were compared between the two groups. The findings were summarized as follows : 1) BACs were tended to be higher in the inactive group than the active in all of the four alcohol doses. However significant group differences were only after the 0.5g/kg dose of alcohol. 2) The inactive group showed significant impairment in CFFT at most time points alter 0.75 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol. 3) In CRT, total reaction time(TRT) significantly prolonged in the inactive group than the active group at 20 minutes after 0.25 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol and at 40, 60, 90 minutes alter 0.75g/kg dose of alcohol. In the inactive group, recognition time component significantly increased at 20, 60, 90 minutes after 1.0g/kg dose of alcohol, while movement time component significantly increased at 40, 60 minutes after 0.75g/kg dose of alcohol. 4) Subjective evaluation of the effect of alcohol revealed that physical and mental conditions as well as a self-estimate of the effects of alcohol on performance were significantly worse in the inactive group than the active at some time points alter all of the lour alcohol doses, wihch were more pronounced after 0.75 and 1.0g/kg doses of alcohol. 5) Most of the group differences mentioned above, still remained statistically significant after BAC was entered as a covariate, These findings demonstrated that the alcohol sensitivity is higher in individuals with inactive ALDH-I than those with active ALDH-I both on the subjective assessments and the objective psychomotor performances. Furthermore, these results suggest thai the alcohol sensitivity may be determined by acetaldehyde concentration rather than BAC per se. In future studies, after more accurate genotyping for ALDH-I, the relationships between BAC, acetaldehyde concentration and alcohol sensitivities should be clearly defined.