• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2015

Hyperpigmentation on face is a highly anxiety-producing symptom, especially for women from the aspect of beauty. Pigmentation of the skin is related to the amount of melanin that provides protection against UV radiation. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy is a non-invasive imaging tool allowing visualization of the skin without tissue alteration, by placing a microscopy directly on the living skin. The aim of this study was to develop the new evaluation method of whitening effects using in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy and to validate other instruments for measuring skin colors, and UV-induced hyperpigmentation was elicited on the inside skin of the forearm. It suggested that the new method for whitening effects using the confocal microscopy was useful to evaluate the de-pigmentation products and to easy for understanding to customers.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.98-105
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• 2015

Muscular dystrophy is a hereditary musculoskeletal disorder caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most common, and progresses relatively faster than other muscular dystrophies. It is characterized by progressive myofiber degeneration, muscle weakness and ultimately ambulatory loss. Since it is an X-linked recessive inheritance, DMD is mostly expressed in males and rarely expressed or less severe in females. The most effective measurement tool for DMD is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allows non-invasive examination of longitudinal measurement. It can detect progressive decline of skeletal muscle size by measuring a maximal cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle. Additionally, other techniques in MRI, like $T_2$-weighted imaging, assess muscle damage, including inflammation, by detecting changes in $T_2$ relaxation time. Current MRI techniques even allow quantification of metabolic differences between affected and non-affected muscles in DMD. There is no current cure, but physical therapist can improve their quality of life by maintaining muscle strength and function, especially if treatment (and other forms of medical intervention) begins in the early stages of the disease.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.123-127
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• 2008

Purpose: As the demand of a simple and precise method increases to evaluate the performance of the inverter type x-ray unit, we evaluated the usefulness of the recently-introduced X-ray Multi-Function Test Device (moldel : Xi (unfors)-prestige). Method: We compared the performance of X-ray Multi-Function Test Device (XMFTD) which is non-inveasive type device with the performance of Dynalyzer III that has been most widely used inveasive type measure device. Result: X-ray output dose was increased a little in the XMFTD, but both devices were below the performance evaluation standard, 0.002 in the output reproducibility. Linearity of XMFTD were below 0.1 which means that Dynalyzer III showed more excellency in linearity. As the the accuracy of exposure factor, 1.8 and 2 tube voltage, 2.01 and 2.3 tube current were measured. The exposure time was also measured by 0.01 sec ${\pm}10%$. Both devices were within the acceptance of performance evaluatioin standard. Conclusion: We proved the usefulness of X-ray Multi-Function Test Device (model: Xi (unfors)-prestige) to evaluated the performance on reproductibility and linearity of X-ray output and accuracy of exposure factor of inverter type unit.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.64-73
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• 2002

FDG-PET has potential as an effective, non-invasive tool to measure tumor response to anticancer therapy. The changes in tumor FDG uptake may provide an early, sensitive guide to the clinical and subclinical response of tumors to cancer treatment, as well as functional assessment of residual viable tumor. This may allow the evaluation of subclinical response to anticancer drugs in early clinical trials and improvements in patients management. However, monitoring tumor responses with FDG-PET is still in its infancy. The methods of measurement of FDG uptake are currently diverse and timing with respect to anti cancer therapy variable. Therefore, there is a need for larger-scale trials along with standardized methodology and a collection of reproducibility data. The recent guideline from the European group seems to be the most comprehensive. In future, the combination of morphological and metabolic images may improve the quantitative nature of these measurements by relating tumor viability to total tumor mass. More data on sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET technique are needed along with continued advancement of PET methodology.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2001

The prior purpose of this study is to introduce a optical biopsy and evaluate whether the optical biopsy, real-time, non-invasive technique, is a reliable tool to assess response to radiotherapy Four healthy volunteers, and four patients with inflammatory conditions of the oral cavity participated on the study. was obtained from each person enrolled in the study. Using FastEEM(Ercited Emission Matrix) as a optical biopsy tool, normal and tumor spectra are taken from the normal and the tumor regions. And then second optical biopsy are taken from the tumor regions in 4 patients with time delay at 7days.. Using a diagnostic algorithm, made by Gillenwater based on spectra excited at 337nm The Optical Biopsy turned out to be more suited for tumor diagnostic resulting in significant difference fluorescence spectra. The fluorescence intensity of cancerous tissue showed a higher position. The second fluorescence intensity of optical biopsy of cancerous oral tissue has more smaller than the first result. I conclude that optical biopsy, which technique don't need to remove tissue sample from body, and is a real time , and non-invasive measurement is a reliable tool to access to radiotherapy because FastEEM can do measure the variation of the tissue composition chemical, biological, and morphological after radiotherapy. Based on the fluorescence spectrum are taken from the optical biopsy in normal and tumor spectra as well as tumor spectra after 7days.

• Near Infrared Analysis
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2001

A non-invasive spectroscopic method is presented for the measurement of pulmonary edema. Both early diagnosis and quantitative edema estimates were investigated. The spectroscopic determination of pulmonary edema involved the acquisition of diffuse reflectance spectra in the near-infrared (NIR) region with change in water concentration - water is the main constituent of edema fluid. Pulmonary edema was induced into the excised perfused lungs of seven animals by elevating the hydrostatic pressure. Estimates of edema were ascertained from a partial least squares regression of the measured spectral response. Actual edema was determined from the change (increase) in total lung weight. Estimates in relative lung weight increases due to in vitro edema were made with the near infrared spectra. The results revealed that fluid accumulation produced spectral changes in the O-H and C-H absorptions as well as scattering changes in the spectra. Histology of the lung was used to verify the presence or absence of interstitial and alveolar edema. Results demonstrated that near infrared spectroscopy might provide a new tool for clinical assessment of pulmonary edema.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.877-879
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• 2011

Bowel sounds (BS) are produced by the movement of the intestinal contents in the lumen of the gastro-intestinal tract during peristalsis and thus, it can be used clinically as useful indicators of bowel motility. We devised an estimation algorithm of bowel motility based on the regression modeling of the jitter and shimmer of BS signals measured by auscultation. Ten healthy males ($23.5\pm2.1$ years) were examined. Consequently, the correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination and standard error between the colon transit times (CTT) measured by a conventional radiograph and the values estimated by our algorithm were 0.98, 0.96 and 2.86, respectively. Also, through k-fold cross validation, the average value of the absolute differences between them was $5.0\pm2.5$ hours. This method could be used as a complementary tool for the non-invasive measurement of bowel motility.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1667-1670
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• 2014

Background: Calprotectin in feces seems to be a more sensitive marker for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers than fecal occult blood, but its specificity may be too low for screening average risk populations. This study aims at evaluating the diagnostic value of fecal calprotectin as a screening biomarker for GI malignancies. Materials and Methods: In a case-control study, 100 patients with GI malignancies (50 patients with colorectal cancer and 50 patients with gastric cancer) and 50 controls were recruited in Tabriz Imam Reza and Sina hospitals during a 24-month period. One to two weeks after the last endoscopy/colonoscopy, fecal specimens were collected by the patients and examined by ELISA method for quantitative measurement of calprotectin content. The results were compared between the three groups. Results: The mean fecal calprotectin level was $109.1{\pm}105.3$ (2.3-454.3, median:74), $241.1{\pm}205.2$ (3.4-610.0, median:19.3) and $45.9{\pm}55.1{\mu}g/g$ (1.3-257.1, median:19.3) in gastric cancer, colorectal cancer and control group, respectively, the differences being significant (p<0.001) and remaining after adjustment for age. The optimal cut-off point for fecal calprotectin was ${\geq}75.8{\mu}g/g$ for distinguishing colorectal cancer from normal cases (sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 84%, respectively). This value was ${\geq}41.9{\mu}g/g$ for distinguishing gastric cancer from normal cases (sensitivity and specificity of 62%). Conclusions: Our results revealed that fecal calprotectin might be a useful and non-invasive biomarker for distinguishing colorectal cancer from non-malignant GI conditions. However, due to low sensitivity and specificity, this biomarker may not help physicians distinguishing gastric cancer cases from healthy subjects.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

Magnetocardiography (MCG) is a non-contact, non-invasive, and harmless diagnostic tool to detect the abnormal electrical conductivities of the heart caused by the various coronary artery disease or cardiac muscular disease. The purpose of this study is to identify whether MCG signals and MCG parameter values vary depending on the location of sensor assembly. It will be an important reference for the standard measurement. Four healthy male subjects (33.3$\pm$6.3 years) participated in this study. Basal recording was made at 20 mm apart from the chest surface. All subjects were requested to take a regular breathe while MCG was taken. The gap between the chest surface and the bottom of the sensor assembly was 20, 40, 60, and 80 mm. Recording was made using 64 channel MCG system (Axial type, first order gradiometer) developed by Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS). After resting for two minutes in a supine position on the bed in magnetically shielded room, MCG were recorded for 30 s. As the sensor location is getting away from the chest surface signal, the amplitude of R and T wave peak decreases to 70% (at 40 mm gap), 50% (at 60 mm), and 37% (at 80 mm) of the reference strength measured (y = $1.3903e^{-0.0169x}$, $R^2$ = 0.99; where y=amplitude remained after reduction, x=distance between chest surface and sensor location). The regression equations may be used as a good reference to calculate how much strength will be decreased by the distance. In MCG parameters, most values of parameters were decreased as the gap was increased. As an example, the current moment at T-wave peak reduced to 52% (at 40 mm gap), 33% (at 60 mm), and 19% (at 80 mm). However, the difference caused by the gap could be reduced by considering the distance when the MCG parameters were calculated. The study results can be used as a useful reference to design the baseline and the sensor location.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.95-98
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• 2014

The baroreflex is one kind of homeostatic mechanisms to regulate acute blood pressure (BP) changes by controlling heartbeat interval (HBI). To quantify the effect of baroreflex, we suggested a new approach of analyzing Granger causality between systolic BP (SBP) and HBI. The index defined as baroreflex effectiveness (BRE) was generated by the hypothesis that more effectual baroreflex would be related to more effective Granger causal influence of SBP on HBI. Six obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients (apnea-hypopnea index, AHI ${\geq}5$ events/hr) and six normal subjects participated in the study. Their SBP and HBI during nocturnal sleep were obtained from a non-invasive continuous BP measurement device. While the BRE ($mean{\pm}SD$) of normal subjects was $47.0{\pm}4.0%$, OSA patients exhibited the BRE of $34.0{\pm}3.8%$. The impaired baroreflex function of OSA patients can be explained by the physiological mechanism associated with recurrent hypoxic episodes during sleep. Thus, the significantly lower BRE in OSA patients verified the availability of Granger causality analysis to evaluate baroreflex during sleep. Furthermore, the range of BRE obtained from normal subjects was not overlapped with that obtained from OSA patients. It suggests the potential of BRE as a new helpful tool for diagnosing OSA.