• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.108-116
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• 2020

Objective: To investigate the concordance of three international guidelines: the Korean Thyroid Association/Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology, American Thyroid Association, and American College of Radiology for thyroid nodules classified by ultrasonography (US) and the diagnostic performance of simulated size criteria for malignant biopsies. Materials and Methods: A total of 2586 thyroid nodules (≥ 1 cm) were collected from two multicenter study datasets. The classifications of the thyroid nodules were based on three different guidelines according to US categories for malignancy risk, and the concordance rate between the different guidelines was calculated for the classified nodules. In addition, the diagnostic performance of criteria related to four different simulated biopsy sizes was evaluated. Results: The concordance rate of nodules classified as high- or intermediate-suspicion was high (84.1-100%), but low-suspicion or mildly-suspicious nodules exhibited relatively low concordance (63.8-83.8%) between the three guidelines. The differences in sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy between the guidelines were 0.7-19.8%, 0-40.9%, and 0.1-30.5%, respectively, when the original biopsy criteria were applied. The differences decreased to 0-5.9%, 0-10.9%, and 0.1-8.2%, respectively, when simulated, similar biopsy size criteria were applied. The unnecessary biopsy rate calculated with the original criteria (0-33.8%), decreased with the simulated biopsy size criteria (0-8.7%). Conclusion: We found a high concordance between the three guidelines for high- or intermediate-suspicion nodules, and the diagnostic performance of the biopsy criteria was approximately equivalent for each simulated size criterion. The difference in diagnostic performance between the three guidelines is mostly influenced by the various size thresholds for biopsies.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.393-401
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a highly accurate method for diagnosing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs); however, some PNETs are difficult to diagnose. Recently, the efficacy of needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) in diagnosing solid pancreatic masses has been reported. However, the efficacy of nCLE in the diagnosis of PNETs remains unknown and only a small number of cases have been reported. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of nCLE in the diagnosis of PNETs. Methods: This single-center retrospective study evaluated 30 consecutive patients with suspected PNETs on contrast-enhanced computed tomography, who consented to nCLE combined with EUS-FNA and were diagnosed using EUS-FNA or surgical resection. The diagnostic criteria for PNETs using nCLE were based on the nesting and trabecular and glandular arrangement of tumor cell clusters surrounded by capillary vessels and fibrosis, as reported in previous studies. Results: The diagnosis using nCLE was classified into three categories: misdiagnosis in three cases (10%), non-diagnostic in six cases (20%), and diagnostic in 21 cases (70%). nCLE was able to diagnose PNET in one of the two cases with inconclusive EUS-FNA. Conclusions: Although further development of the resolution and optimization of the diagnostic criteria are required, nCLE may constitute a useful diagnostic option in cases of inconclusive EUS-FNA for PNETs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.326-333
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiographic positioning techniques used in local animal hospitals, identify the most common positioning problem, and determine whether there were changes after teleradiology consultations. From September 2016 to April 2021, 15 local animal hospitals that requested radiographic interpretation more than 10 times and for more than six cases of thoracic radiographs were selected. Six sets of two-views of (lateral and ventrodorsal [VD] or dorsoventral [DV] views) digital thoracic radiographs from six dogs per hospital were evaluated in four categories. For the lateral view, radiographic technique scores used in ten local animal hospitals improved, one remained the same, and four became worse. For the VD/DV view, the score for eleven hospitals improved and worsened for four. The most common problem was rotation (57/90) for the lateral view, followed by an inappropriate field of view (59/90), and incorrect beam center (71/90). For the VD/DV view, an inappropriate field of view (54/90) was the most common problem, followed by asymmetry (63/90), and incorrect beam center (73/90). Every factor, except rotation in the lateral view, improved after obtaining technical consultation; however, the degrees of improvement were not remarkable. There was no significant correlation between the number of requests and the degree of improvement. According to the results, the radiographic technique used in local animal hospitals was improved by technical advice on teleradiology. These changes make it possible to provide accurate diagnoses of the requested images. There are some limitations regarding the indicators of evaluation and the number of cases; therefore, further studies that use detailed indicators in large cohort group are needed. In addition, an effective method of teaching should be developed to improve radiographic techniques in local animal hospitals.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2015

In this study, the Korean veterinary medical devices management system was evaluated relative to systems in the USA, EU, and Japan. Veterinary medical devices are regulated in Korea based on the Medical Appliance Act of 1997. This was initially supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Korea Animal Health Products Association, and subsequently by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) in 2000. These devices were classified approximately 1,400 categories as instruments, supplies, artificial insemination apparatus, and other categories. Each of these devices was assigned to four regulatory grades by the QIA in 2007. The ranking system for veterinary medical devices was implemented in 2014 with 820 products from 162 companies registered by that year. However, in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDDs) for animals were managed as medical devices and biological medicine. In vitro diagnostic reagents for treating infection diseases are not subjected to either a classification or grading system. Veterinary medical devices are currently exempt from good manufacturing practices (GMP) and device tracking requirements. Due to gradual growth of the domestic veterinary medical devices market since 2008, regulation of these devices should be improved with re-examination of IVDDs and GMP certification for the effective operating system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.2
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• pp.272-280
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• 2013

This study aims to develop a standard diagnostic table for management and administration that oak mushroom cultivators of forestry households can utilize. By diagnosing their current level of management with the table, the cultivators themselves will be able to grasp and address their operational challenges better. The table is composed of; questions on the status of forestry households; columns for a series of management performance indices, and; questionnaire with 4 categories and 20 subcategories to check the current level of management and administration by the households. In order to prepare the standard diagnostic table for oak mushroom management, 196 forestry households throughout 10 areas - Cheong-yang, Gong-ju, Bu-yeo and Seocheon in Chungcheongnam-do, Mun-kyung and Ye-cheon in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Jin-an in Jeollabuk-do, Jangheung and Jang-seong in Jeollanam-do, and Jeju Islands - were interviewed with and a total of 190 questionnaires were acquired and made use of in the result analysis. Then, the score on management level of each forestry household was determined in the way of aggregating scores from each subcategory. The overall average score of every household was calculated at 62.2 point with more than half of the respondents, 54.7%, belonging to the range of 60 to 80. When considered by regional groups, the average score of Jin-an was the lowest with 57.6 point while that of Jang-seong was the highest with 69.6 point. In case of the 'cultivation management' category, there were a lot of cultivators who expressed a negative awareness of the term 'pest control' because they had a tendency to think the term in connection with 'herbicides or pesticides'. So it is inevitable to adapt and modify existing groups and grades to make sure that the cultivators can make a right choice without confusing the concept 'pest control' with 'herbicides or pesticides'. Meanwhile, the average scores of 'management and administration' categories were mostly low. It was remarkable in these categories that forestry households in Jeolla province, which had remained in lower ranks in the other three categories, recorded higher scores than those in Chungcheong province, boasting a relatively high level of management and administration.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.25-38
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• 2019

This study is to develop a diagnostic model for the effective introduction of smart factories in the manufacturing industry, to diagnose SMEs that have difficulties in building their own smart factory compared to large enterprise, to identify the current level and to present directions for implementation. IT, AT, and OT experts diagnosed 18 SMEs using the "Smart Factory Capacity Diagnosis Tool" developed for smart factory level assessment of companies. They analyzed the results and assessed the level by smart factory diagnosis categories. Companies' smart factory diagnostic mean score is 322 out of 1000 points, between 1 level (check) and 2 level (monitoring). According to diagnosis category, Factory Field Basic, R&D, Production/Logistics/Quality Control, Supply Chain Management and Reference Information Standardization are high but Strategy, Facility Automation, Equipment Control, Data/Information System and Effect Analysis are low. There was little difference in smart factory level depending on whether IT system was built or not. Also, Companies with large sales amount were not necessarily advantageous to smart factories. This study will help SMEs who are interested in smart factory. In order to build smart factory, it is necessary to analyze the market trends, SW/ICT and establish a smart factory strategy suitable for the company considering the characteristics of industry and business environment.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2007

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean Version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV(DISC-IV), a highly structured diagnostic interview used to assess more than 30 psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Methods: A total of 91 study subjects, including 67 subjects who visited the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic at our institution and 24 community-based subjects, were assessed using the Korean Version of the DISC-IV. Clinical diagnosis was used as a gold standard for the examination of the validity of the DISC-IV. Forty-four of the study subjects were randomly selected for test-retest reliability measurement. Results: The validity of the Korean Version of the DISC-IV showed kappa values ranging from 0.25 to 0.40 in the clinical sample and 0.65 to 1.00 in the community sample. The sensitivities varied according to the diagnostic categories, but the specificities were excellent for all diagnostic entities. Conclusion: The Korean Version of the DISC-IV showed good reliability and validity in Korean children and adolescents. The Korean Version of the DISC-IV might be a useful tool for assessing psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.731-741
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory SyndromeCoronavirus 2). To date, seven coronaviruses that can infect humans were reported. Among them, infections with four coronavirus strains (HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-HKU1) resulted in mild symptoms such as common cold, whereas SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV caused severe symptoms and epidemics in 2002 and 2012, respectively. In the most recent, SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and became a notorious cause of the ongoing global pandemics. To diagnose, treat, and prevent COVID-19, the development of rapid and accurate diagnostic tools, specific therapeutic drugs, and safe vaccines essentially are required. In order to develop these powerful tools, it is prerequisite to understand a phenotype, a genotype, and life cycle of SARS-CoV-2. Diagnostic techniques have been developing rapidly around world and many countries take the fast track system to accelerate approval. Approved diagnostic devices are rapidly growing facing to urgent demand to identify carriers. Currently developed commercial diagnostic devices are divided into mainly two categories: molecular assay and serological & immunological assay. Molecular assays begins the reverse transcription step following polymerase chain reaction or isothermal amplification. Immunological assay targets SARS-CoV-2 antigen or anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody of samples. In this review, we summarize the phenotype, genome structure and gene expression of SARS-CoV-2 and provide the knowledge on various diagnostic techniques for SARS-CoV-2.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the achievements of Ryodoraku and to suggest new diagnostic ideas. Methods: A search of six Korean databases and one Japanese was performed using the terms such as Ryodoraku, diagnosis, foreigner, etc. and the search results classified and summarized. Results: From the initial search results, 21 Korean papers and 26 Japanese papers were selected and classified into 4 categories, that is, classification by pattern, classification by physiological limit, classification by setting various sections using the average Ryodoraku score, and classification by formula. Conclusions: Each of the 4 methods has its own benefits; however, it is hard to find disease-specific common characteristics from the Ryodoraku diagnostic values with the methods. Further studies which use the number of Pyesaek and Gyeokcha are necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.930-937
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• 1994

Pulmonary sequestration, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation[CCAM], infantile lobar emphysema[ILE], and bronchogenic cysts are four congenital lesions that show abnormal cystic areas within the lung field in early life. They share similar embryologic and clinical characteristics, Therefore they are sometimes difficult to make differential diagnosis each other, and all require surgical treatment. From 1984 to 1993, 20 patients underwent surgical corrections under these diagnostic categories[10 bronchogenic cyst, 4 pulmonary sequestration, 4 CCAM, and 2 ILE] in the department of thoracic & cardiovascular surgery, Inje University, Pusan Paik Hospital. There were 9 females and 11 males, Ages ranged from 26 days after birth to 69 years. Among them 5 cases of bronchogenic cyst were found out incidentally, but remained all 15 cases were noted as symptomatic cases. Recurrent pulmonary infections, respiratory distress and cough with cystic lesions in chest film were the main characteristics of them. Computed tomography and aortography were available for diagnostic conformation. For all the cases surgical resection were performed: 1 pneumonectomy, 2 bilobectomy, 9 lobectomy, 7 cyst resection and 1 mass[extralobar pulmonary sequestration] resection. All surgical treatments were well tolerated with no physical limitation. There was no operative mortality, and only one postoperative complication[empyema thoracis]. All patients were followed up ranging from 4 months to 9 years. A clinical awareness of these related lesions is important for prompt diagnosis and effective surgical treatment.