• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

Objectives: The basis research of aged people's healthcare technology is very important, because our nation goes into an aged society rapidly. Especially in traditional medicine, pulse shapes of aged people were supposed to weak and empty pulse until now, but any objective measurement and compare research do not taken. Methods and Results: Therefore in this study we design observation study to find characteristic of pulse between younger group (age $20{\sim}30$) and elder group (age $43{\sim}80$) in Busan area. We used 3-dimensional pulse analyzer '3-D MAC' (Daeyomedi Co., Ltd.). And major parameters for comparison are 1) pulse height (h1), 2) applied pressure, 3) pulse power (energy), 4) high pressure duration (w) and 5) R-AI. Conclusions: According to analysis result, elder people's pulse has more large value in pulse height, applied pressure and pulse power than younger's that. It reveals that elder people in modernized lifestyle has Yang symptoms as well Yin symptoms. Consequently we need new method to care elder people's health, and this means more important direction than old text book. From now on verification research with objective diagnosis device like 3-D MAC, must be activated to build of evidence in traditional medicine. Cause traditional medicine's spirit of care and prevention is suitable to care elder people's cardiac and cerebral vascular disease those are have close relation with elder people.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.396-399
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• 2002

Intense quasi-monochromatic x-ray irradiation from the linear plasma target is described. The plasma x-ray generator employs a high-voltage power supply, a low-impedance coaxial transmission line, a high-voltage condenser with a capacity of about 200 nF, a turbo-molecular pump, a thyristor pulse generator as a trigger device, and a flash x-ray tube. The high-voltage main condenser is charged up to 55 kV by the power supply, and the electric charges in the condenser are discharged to the tube after triggering the cathode electrode. The x-ray tube is of a demountable triode that is connected to the turbo molecular pump with a pressure of approximately 1 mPa. As electron flows from the cathode electrode are roughly converged to the molybdenum target by the electric field in the tube, the weakly ionized plasma, which consists of metal ions and electrons, forms by the target evaporating. In the present work, the peak tube voltage was almost equal to the initial charging voltage of the main condenser, and the peak current was about 20 kA with a charging voltage of 55 kV. When the charging voltage was increased, the linear plasma x-ray source grew, and the characteristic x-ray intensities of K-series lines increased. The quite sharp lines such as hard x-ray lasers were clearly observed. The quasi-monochromatic radiography was performed by a new film-less computed radiography system.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2012

Electric activity of cardiac muscles generates magnetic fields. Magnetocardiography (or MCG) technology, measuring these magnetic signals, can provide useful information for the diagnosis of heart diseases. It is already about 40 years ago that the first measurement of MCG signals was done by D. Cohen using SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) sensor inside a magnetically shielded room. In the early period of MCG history, bulky point-contact RF-SQUID was used as the magnetic sensor. Thanks to the development of Nb-based Josephson junction technology in mid 1980s and new design of tightly-coupled DC-SQUID, low-noise SQUID sensors could be developed in late 1980s. In around 1990, several groups developed multi-channel MCG systems and started clinical study. However, it is quite recent years that the true usefulness of MCG was verified in clinical practice, for example, in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. For the practical MCG system, technical elements of MCG system should be optimized in terms of performance, fabrication cost and operation cost. In this review, development history, technical issue, and future development direction of MCG technology are described.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.127-131
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• 2020

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of left atrial appendage (LAA) excision using a vascular stapler. Methods: Fifty consecutive patients (mean age, 68±9 years) who underwent LAA excision using a vascular stapler during concomitant cardiac surgery were enrolled. In all patients, the excision site was evaluated using computed tomography at a median of 7 days (interquartile range, 5-13.3 days) postoperatively. The safety endpoint of this study was the occurrence of LAA excision-related events, which were defined as bleeding from the excision site that required reinforcement sutures or reoperation due to excision site bleeding. The efficacy endpoint was LAA excision failure, which was defined as a remnant LAA (a stump >1 cm in maximum length) or extravasation of radiocontrast dye. Results: LAAs were excised using 60- and 45-mm vascular staplers in 49 patients and 1 patient, respectively. Reinforcement sutures were needed in 4 patients due to staple-line bleeding and in 4 patients due to bleeding of the surrounding tissues. No patient underwent reoperation due to staple-related bleeding. A remnant LAA was observed in 2 patients, while extravasation of radiocontrast dye was not observed in any patients. Conclusion: LAA excision using a vascular stapler may be an effective technique for LAA exclusion. Delicate handling of the stapler device and LA tissue is required to prevent procedure-related complications.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.9
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• pp.396-400
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to share our experience of transcatheter closure of small patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) by using an Amplatzer vascular plug (AVP). Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 20 patients who underwent transcatheter closure at Samsung Medical Center and Sejong General Hospital from January 2008 to August 2012. The size and shape of the PDAs were evaluated by performing angiograms, and the PDA size and the AVP devices size were compared. Results: The mean age of the patients was $54.9{\pm}45.7$ months old. The PDAs were of type C (n=5), type D (n=12), and type E (n=3). The mean pulmonary end diameter of the PDA was $1.7{\pm}0.6$ mm, and the aortic end diameter was $3.6{\pm}1.4$ mm. The mean length was $7.3{\pm}1.8$ mm. We used 3 types of AVP devices: AVP I (n=5), AVP II (n=7), and AVP IV (n=8). The ratio of AVP size to the pulmonary end diameter was $3.37{\pm}1.64$, and AVP size/aortic end ratio was $1.72{\pm}0.97$. The aortic end diameter was significantly larger in those cases repaired with AVP II than in the others (P=0.002). The AVP size did not significantly correlate with the PDA size, but did correlate with smaller ratio of AVP size to aortic end diameter ($1.10{\pm}0.31$, P=0.032). Conclusion: Transcatheter closure of small PDA with AVP devices yielded satisfactory outcome. AVP II was equally effective with smaller size of device, compared to others.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.380-390
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• 2000

This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy as one of the psychiatric nursing intervention tools, with addtional information in relieving anxiety during the procedure. Data were collected through nonequivalent pre-and post tests from July 1, 1998 to September 30 1998 in 90 patients (test group A: 28 patients, test group B: 27 patients, control group: 33 patients) who were hospitalized in DongSan Medical Center in order to have cardiac catheterization. The Subjects were informed by educational videos, which were modified according to the sensory information of the 10 study patients. They were based on the informative booklet by Kim keum-soon (1989). The procedural information was also modified according to the hospital`s customs. Provided the music for patients suitable to their tastes, and measured their blood pressure, heart rate, the degree of anxiety using the Spielberger`s measurement device of anxiety, and behavioral response of Finesilver`s. The statistical significance was analyzed using chi-square test and ANOVA. The results of this study were as follows : Hypothesis 1 : There are significant differences in the degree of anxiety among test group A, Test group A was provided only information, Test group B was provided information and the control group was provided neither. Hypothesis 2 : There are significant differences in systolic blood pressure among test group A, test group B, and control group.: non-significant. Hypothesis 3 : There are significant differences in diastolic blood pressure among test group A, test group B, and control group.: significant(F=1.31, p=.27, interaction; F=3.80, p=.00). Hypothesis 4 : There are significant differences in heart rate among test group A, test group B, and control group.: non-significant. Hypothesis 5 : There are significant differences in behavioral responses among test group A, test group B, and control group.: significant(F=10.05, p=.00). Further validation study is required with other subjects and other settings.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.154-163
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• 2006

A 64-channel magnetocardiogram (MCG) system using low-noise superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) planar gradiometers was developed for the measurements of cardiac magnetic fields generated by the heart electric activity. Owing to high flux-to-voltage transfers of double relaxation oscillation SQUID (DROS) sensors, the flux-locked loop electronics for SQUID operation could be made simpler than that of conventional DC SQUIDs, and the SQUID control was done automatically through a fiber-optic cable. The pickup coils are first-order planar gradiometers with a baseline of 4 em. The insert has 64 planar gradiometers as the sensing channels and were arranged to measure MCG field components tangential to the chest surface. When the 64-channel insert was in operation everyday, the average boil-off rate of the dewar was 3.6 Lid. The noise spectrum of the SQUID planar gradiometer system was about 5 fT$_{rms}$/$\checkmark$Hz at 100 Hz, operated inside a moderately shielded room. The MCG measurements were done at a sampling rate of 500 Hz or 1 kHz, and realtime display of MCG traces and heart rate were displayed. After the acquisition, magnetic field mapping and current mapping could be done. From the magnetic and current information, parameters for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia were evaluated to be compared with other diagnostic methods.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 2012

Convergence of information technology (IT) and medical devices enables people to measure health-related information ubiquitously, such as measuring blood glucose at home and checking cardiac signals during exercise and it allows us to access to medical care anywhere and anytime. Nowadays, the market for U-healthcare medical devices is growing rapidly, but guidelines for the evaluation of safety and effectiveness of such devices remain to be formulated. We performed a study on the development of safety and performance evaluation method for portable, hand-held, U-healthcare medical devices. We reviewed current guidelines and standards for home-health devices from the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) and related international committees such as the ISO/IEEE and CE. We summarized the test methods and items for the evaluation of safety and performance related to U-healthcare medical devices from the above guidelines and standards. We defined requirements for a U-healthcare medical device to demonstrate good performance. In conclusion, we propose an evaluation method for U-healthcare medical devices, which will help improve the safety and reliability of these devices.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.62-69
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• 2012

Purpose: The present study has an objective of effectively separating and making observations on a portion of radiopharmaceutical excreted via digestive organ to remain in the organ and invade a heart shadow. Materials and methods: When heart shadow is blocked by the organ in tests during a resting phase and a loaded phase, additional images were obtained using immobilization device. The immobilization devices were used to tilt the upper body forward from supine position. Results: In the reconstructed image for the separated case, as compared with the case where a part of organ is overlapped with heart, in terms of an overall mean value for each parameter, the end-diastolic volume increased by 2.75 mL, the end-systolic volume decreased by 3.16 mL, the left ventricle cardiac coefficient increased by 3.58%, and the area of defect region decreased by 3.58 and 3.92 cm for loading and resting phase, respectively. Conclusions: In the present study with myocardial perfusion SPECT, overlapped areas of heart and other organs could be effectively separated and visualization by the use of an immobilization device.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.464-472
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• 2009

Background: We analyzed the clinical results and the factors for survival of patients who underwent extracorporeal life support system after adult cardiovascular surgery. Material and Method: We retrospectively reviewed the medical record of 44 patients (1.6% of the total adult cardiovascular surgical cases) who underwent the use of a ventricular assisted device or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation from January 2002 to August 2008. There were 32 (72.7%) males and their mean age was 61.7$\pm$14.9(range: 20$\sim$73) years old. The mean duration of extracorporeal life support system was 5.3$\pm$3.0 (range: 1$\sim$12) days. Result: Of these 44 patients, 24 (54.5%) patients were successfully weaned from the extracorporeal device. Eighteen (40.9%) survivors were able to be discharged from the hospital. Complications were noted in 38 patients (86.4%). An emergency operation, no usage of a concomitant intraaortic balloon pump and major complications during use of the extra corporeal life support system such as bleeding, flow instability and renal failure were identified as significant risk factors for poor survival on univariated analysis. Owing to educational support and a continuous renal replacement therapy system, the clinical outcomes of these patients have improved since 2006. On multivariated analysis, renal failure and bleeding during extracorporeal life support were significant risk factors for poor survival. Conclusion: Although using. extracorporeal life support systems after adult cardiovascular surgery revealed acceptable clinical results, determining the optimal treatment strategy and further well designed larger studies are needed to improve the survival rate of patients who undergo extracorporeal life support after adult cardiovascular surgery.