• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.91-98
• /
• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to identify correlations between keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) data from CT sections, and data on the KCOT clinical manifestation and resulting dental expenses. Materials and Methods: Following local Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, a seven-years of retrospective study was performed regarding patients with KCOTs treated at the Seoul National University Dental Hospital. A total of 180 KCOT were included in this study. The following information was collected: age, gender, location and size of the lesion, radiological features, surgical treatment provided and dental expenses. Results: There was no significant association between the size of the KCOT and age, gender, and presenting preoperative symptoms. In both jaws, it was unusual to find KCOTs under 10 mm. The correlation between the number of teeth removed and the size of the KCOT in the tooth bearing area was statistically significant in the mandible, whereas in the maxilla, no significant relationship was found. Dental expenses compared with the size of the KCOT were found to be significant in both jaws. Conclusion: The size of KCOT was associated with a significant increase in dental expenses for both jaws and the number of teeth removed from the mandible. These findings emphasize the importance of routine examinations and early detection of lesions, which in turn helps preserving anatomical structures and reducing dental expenses.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea CI
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.64-70
• /
• 2007

Raman spectroscopy is known to have strong potential for providing noninvasive dermatological diagnosis of skin cancer. According to the previous work, various well known methods including maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) and multilayer perceptron networks (MLP) showed competitive results. Since even the small errors often leads to a fatal result, we investigated the method that reduces classification error perfectly by screening out some ambiguous patterns. Those ambiguous patterns can be examined by routine biopsy. We incorporated an ambiguous pattern class in MAP, linear classifier using minimum squared error (MSE), MLP and reduced coulomb energy networks (RCE). The experiments involving 216 confocal Raman spectra showed that every methods could perfectly classify BCC by screening out some ambiguous patterns. The best results were obtained with MSE. According to the experimental results, MSE gives perfect classification by screening out 8.8% of test patterns.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.231-240
• /
• 2000

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between life style and health status of the staffs of an elementary school to understand exercise practices and life styles and to analyze the self-efficacy and the factors that affect it concerning walking exercise. The subjects were m9 staff member of the 10 elementary school in Seoul and materials were collected through an organized examination table from October, 1999 to May 2000. The people health awareness table was used as a variable for life style, the 13 questionnaires made of a 5 points measure was for the self efficacy concerning walking exercise. The data was analyzed through a statistics package made of a Chisquare-test, t-test, ANOVA and a regression analysis. The major results of this study were as follows; 1) 50% of the staffs were practicing regular exercise, 3/4 of them practiced walking, jogging and mountain climbing that don't need equipment and exercise frequency was 1-2 times per week 64%. of the time and exercise span was under 30 minutes in 38%, the highest 2) The average of self-efficacy concerning walking exercise was 3.6 points but the answers "I can walk enough to be in a sweat", "I can walk according to my exercise plan" were relatively low. 3) The explanation degree of the Model was 14% in a regression analysis between self efficacy concerning walking exercise and as a dependent variable for a regular walking exercise plan, regular health examination, routine health status, and breakfast might serve as an explanation degree. According to the results of this study, the suggestions were as follows: 1) The chronic invalid was not enough in the change of life style after chronic disease, most of all, it need the awareness of change, of active health education and of public information for health promotion action practice through the prohibition of smoking, abstinence from drink, exercise and nutritional balance. 2) Concrete practice program enlargement is needed to enhance related walking exercise or of a type lecture meeting for subjects who have a positive attitude about walking exercise plans. 3) A program that can actively recommend a health promotion life style is needed when we make allowance for those who have an ordinarily healthy life style and show a high walking exercise self-efficacy.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.67-84
• /
• 2003

Immunization has been one of the most effective measures preventing from infectious diseases. However, children routine vaccination rate of Korea was 68.2% and it was not higher than expected. Korean government revised the School Health Law for every primary school children to submit the vaccination certificate record from 2005. It is quite important national Infectious disease prevention policy to keep the immunizations rate high and monitor the immunizations rate continuously. To do this, National Institute of Health introduced the National Immunization Registry(NIR) Program at 2000. Objective : The aims of this study was to evaluate the Immunization Registry program which has been implementing since 2000 at the Public Health Centers(PHC). Methods : The mail survey was done from November 2001 to January 2002. 169 (69%) Public Health Centers among 244 PHC were responded. Results : The respondents of PHC sud the Immunization Registry(IR) program had reduced the workload (18.5%). 69.2% said they inputted the immunization data into the IR program after the shots were given. 86.5% said they hadn´t checked or retrieved the children lists who had missed the scheduled immunization. Only 17.2% said the speed of internet for the R program was good. It showed that 20% of respondents hadn´t written down documents, records on immunization any more. Even there were a lot of negative results, the respondents of PHC thought that the IR program was effective. They especially agreed that the IR program could make the job accurate (81.5%), convenient (71.3%), and reduced the chances of making mistakes (71.3%), increase the service quality (78.5%). And they were well adapting the job process of the IR (79.63%). Bivariate analysis showed that the software program was the important determinants of IR success. The only Bit Computer software program has been evaluated to be less satisfactory than the Integrated (Posdata operating system + Bit software) program. Other variables, such as age, duration of present job, and location of PHC (metropolitan, small city, rural area) were not significantly related. Conclusion : It seemed that the success of NIR might depend on the software program. Because Integrated program, which has been developed from 1994, include not only the general operating and management program for PHC but also IR program. It was natural to prefer Integrated program to Bit software program. So we can suggest that it is essential for the NIR to be successful that not only the immunization software program but also hardware equipments and public health information system should be further improved.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.28-36
• /
• 2012

Purpose : This study was conducted to evaluate epidemiological data of the viral pathogens obtained from stool exams and provide information on the regional prevalence of infectious diarrheal disease west in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. Methods : We enrolled a cohort of children <10 years of age admitted for treatment of acute diarrhea at Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea. In total, 310 fecal specimens, documented to be free of common bacterial pathogens, were collected from pediatric patients during a 12-month period from January to December 2009 and were tested for the presence of rotavirus, parechovirus, adenovirus, astrovirus, enterovirus, and norovirus using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Results : The most common virus was parechovirus (16%), followed by adenovirus (15%), astrovirus (14%), rotavirus (13%), and enterovirus (5%). Interestingly, only one of the specimens was positive for norovirus. Single infection cases were detected in 173 (55.8%) of the 310 children, whereas mixed viral infections were detected in 10 (3.2%) of the same children. Viral gastroenteritis generally showed a double peak of incidence. Parechovirus, rotavirus, and adenovirus shared a similar pattern of peak incidence with overall viruses; however, astrovirus infections occurred more frequently in the spring. Eighty-five percent of the confirmed viral gastroenteritis cases developed in under 24 months. Conclusion : The results support the importance of parechovirus, adenovirus, astrovirus, and enterovirus as causative agents of diarrhea in children, which may be underestimated by current routine diagnostic testing.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.363-370
• /
• 2002

For the development of diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to fungal infection by dermatophytes Trichophyton and Microsporum, detection of the fungal DNA by PCR and analysis of the DNA pattern were undertaken in the present study. A total of 15 strains were tested and those consisted of 3 reference strains and 12 isolates such as: reference strains of T mentagrophytes (downy type, ATCC 9533), T rubrum (IFO 6204) and M gypseum (ATCC 9083), and each isolate of T mentogrophytes (powdery type), T mentagrophytes (granular type), T mentogrophytes (purple-red type), T rubrum, T raubitschekii, T tonsurans, T equinum, T ajelloi, T verrucosum, M cookei, M nanum and M gypseum. The DNA were purely isolated from all strains of Trichophyton spp. and Microsporum spp. by a simple method partly consisted of disruption of fungal cells by lyophilization and grinding and extraction of fungal DNA without phenol treatment which is a routine procedure in DNA isolation. For the detection of fungal DNAs, optimal condition of PCR was determined as preheating once at $94^{\circ}C$ for 5 min, 35 cycles of denaturation at $94^{\circ}C$ for 1 min, annealing at $38^{\circ}C$ for 1 min and polymerization at $72^{\circ}C$ for 2 min, and 1 cycle of final extension at $72^{\circ}C$ for 5 min. In PCR using arbitrary primers AP-1 (5' ACCCGACCTG3') and AP-2 (5' ACGGGCCAGT3'), DNAs in various numbers and sizes were detected from different species of Trichophyton and Microsporum, while DNAs in similar size were also detected in all strains of Trichophyton spp. and Microsporum spp. There were unique DNAs observed from certain dermatophytes by AP-1 such as 1,900 bases in T rubrum, 950 and 1,100 bases in T raubitscheldi, 2,100 bases in T equinum, 400 bases in T verrucosum and 1,150 bases in M gypseum. The unique DNAs were also observed by AP-2 such as 1,200 bases in T ajelloi, 250 bases in T verrucosum, 1,150 bases in M cookei and 2,000 bases in M nanum. The results indicated that PCR can detect a specific DNA from certain Trychophyton and Microsporum spp, which can be the information for further development of diagoomc PCR to dennatophytes.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.200-210
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This quasi-experimental study was performed to investigate the effects of a health promotion program(HPP) on self-efficacy, healthy lifestyle and blood lipid profile in employees with hyperlipidemia. Methods: The subjects were forty-three employees who were diagnosed as having hyperlipidemia during routine health examination at two worksites in Seoul in 2001. Of the forty-three subjects, thirty were allocated to the experimental group and the remaining thirteen were allocated to the control group. Data were collected from September 24, 2001 to March 16, 2002. The HPP was applied to the experimental group for 11 weeks and included health education, diet counseling, watching videos, conference, and so on. The health education included information about exercise, smoking cessation, and abstinence from drinking alcohol and seven sessions of hyperlipidemia education. The experimental group was requested to keep a daily health promotion lifestyle diary. This diary was analyzed by a dietician and subjects were instructed based on the results. As for data analyses, wilcoxon signed rank test and wilcoxon rank sum test and x2-test were carried out using SAS program. Results: 1. Self-efficacy scores of the experimental group were significantly more increased than those of the control group (experimental: 5.86 10.80, control: -4.04 11.91, p=0.018). 2. Healthy lifestyle scores of the experimental group were significantly more increased than those of the control group (experimental: 0.19 0.26, control: -0.05 0.29, p=0.024). 3. Blood total cholesterol values of the experimental group were significantly more decreased than those of the control group (experimental: -13.07 30.10mg/dl, control: 10.00 26.57mg/dl, p=0.033). 4. Blood triglyceride values of the experimental group were significantly more decreased than those of the control group (experimental: -29.17 192.40mg/dl, control: 63.31 107.53mg/dl, p=0.050). Conclusion: These findings indicate that the HHP could be effective in improving self-efficacy, healthy lifestyle and blood HDL cholesterol and decreasing blood total cholesterol in employees with hyperlipidemia. Therefore, the HHP could be suggested as an effective nursing intervention for employees in the worksite by ultimately preventing cerebral and cardiac vessel complications related to hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.456-464
• /
• 2013

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial contamination levels in elevators in apartment buildings and to provide information on such microbial contamination. Methods: A total of 144 samples, including from the exterior buttons, interior buttons, elevator handrails, walls, ventilators and airborne bacteria were collected in the morning and afternoon from July to August 2013 for six different elevators. The samples were used to detect sanitary indicator bacteria (total bacteria, coliform, and Escherichia coli), pathogenic bacteria (E. coli O157, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., B. cereus, S. aureus) and fungi. Results: Contamination levels of total bacteria were 0.3-3.8 and 0.0-2.4 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ in the morning and afternoon, respectively. In the case of coliform bacteria, the levels were 0.0-3.7 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ in the morning and 0.0-0.3 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ in the afternoon. However, E. coli was not detected among all samples. Bacillus cereus, pathogenic bacteria, was only detected in 13 (11%) among 144 samples. E. coli O157, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and S. aureus were not detected among all samples. Comparing the samples collected in the morning and afternoon, we could confirm that the samples in the afternoon were cleaner. Conclusions: This study indicates that the samples in the afternoon were cleaner because these samples were collected following routine cleaning. Also, the levels of contamination in the elevators were low and the sanitary conditions were comparatively well-managed. Therefore it is deemed necessary for elevators be cleaned regularly to provide good conditions for people using elevators.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.368-372
• /
• 2015

Objective : The occurrence of acute cerebral infection following deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently being reported with elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) level. The aim of the present study was to establish normal range of the magnitude and time-course of CRP increases following routine DBS procedures in the absence of clinical and laboratory signs of infection. Methods : A retrospective evaluation of serial changes of plasma CRP levels in 46 patients undergoing bilateral, two-staged DBS was performed. Because DBS was performed as a two-staged procedure involving; implantation of lead and internal pulse generator (IPG), CRP was measured preoperatively and postoperatively every 2 days until normalization of CRP (post-lead implantation day 2 and 4, post-IPG implantation day 2, 4, and 6). Results : Compared with preoperative CRP levels ($0.12{\pm}0.17mg/dL$, n=46), mean CRP levels were significantly elevated after lead insertion day 2 and 4 ($1.68{\pm}1.83mg/dL$, n=46 and $0.76{\pm}0.38mg/dL$, n=16, respectively, p<0.001). The mean CRP levels at post-lead implantation day 2 were further elevated at post-IPG implantation day 2 ($3.41{\pm}2.56mg/dL$, n=46, respectively, p<0.01). This elevation in post-IPG day 2 rapidly declined in day 4 ($1.24{\pm}1.29mg/dL$, n=46, p<0.05) and normalized to preoperative value at day 6 ($0.42{\pm}0.33mg/dL$, n=46, p>0.05). Mean CRP levels after IPG implantation were significantly higher in patients whose IPGs were implanted at post-lead day 3 than those at post-lead day 5-6 ($3.99{\pm}2.80mg/dL$, n=30, and $2.31{\pm}1.56mg/dL$, n=16, respectively, p<0.05). However, there was no difference in post-IPG day 2 and 4 between them (p>0.05). Conclusion : The mean postoperative CRP levels were highest on post-IPG insertion day 2 and decreased rapidly, returning to the normal range on post-IPG implantation day 6. The duration of post-lead implantation period influenced the magnitude of CRP elevation at post-IPG insertion day 2. Information about the normal response of CRP following DBS could help to avoid unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic efforts.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartB
• /
• v.18B no.2
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 2011

To prevent cardiac diseases, quantifying cardiac function is important in routine clinical practice by analyzing blood volume and ejection fraction. These works have been manually performed and hence it requires computational costs and varies depending on the operator. In this paper, an automatic left ventricle segmentation algorithm is presented to segment left ventricle on cardiac magnetic resonance images. After coil sensitivity of MRI images is compensated, a K-mean clustering scheme is applied to segment blood area. A graph searching scheme is employed to correct the segmentation error from coil distortions and noises. Using cardiac MRI images from 38 subjects, the presented algorithm is performed to calculate blood volume and ejection fraction and compared with those of manual contouring by experts and GE MASS software. Based on the results, the presented algorithm achieves the average accuracy of 6.2mL${\pm}$5.6, 2.9mL${\pm}$3.0 and 2.1%${\pm}$1.5 in diastolic phase, systolic phase and ejection fraction, respectively. Moreover, the presented algorithm minimizes user intervention rates which was critical to automatize algorithms in previous researches.