• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.11
• /
• pp.1918-1928
• /
• 2021

Objective: With the recent development of various MRI-conditional cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), the accurate identification and characterization of CIEDs have become critical when performing MRI in patients with CIEDs. We aimed to develop and evaluate a deep learning-based algorithm (DLA) that performs the detection and characterization of parameters, including MRI safety, of CIEDs on chest radiograph (CR) in a single step and compare its performance with other related algorithms that were recently developed. Materials and Methods: We developed a DLA (X-ray CIED identification [XCID]) using 9912 CRs of 958 patients with 968 CIEDs comprising 26 model groups from 4 manufacturers obtained between 2014 and 2019 from one hospital. The performance of XCID was tested with an external dataset consisting of 2122 CRs obtained from a different hospital and compared with the performance of two other related algorithms recently reported, including PacemakerID (PID) and Pacemaker identification with neural networks (PPMnn). Results: The overall accuracies of XCID for the manufacturer classification, model group identification, and MRI safety characterization using the internal test dataset were 99.7% (992/995), 97.2% (967/995), and 98.9% (984/995), respectively. These were 95.8% (2033/2122), 85.4% (1813/2122), and 92.2% (1956/2122), respectively, with the external test dataset. In the comparative study, the accuracy for the manufacturer classification was 95.0% (152/160) for XCID and 91.3% for PPMnn (146/160), which was significantly higher than that for PID (80.0%,128/160; p < 0.001 for both). XCID demonstrated a higher accuracy (88.1%; 141/160) than PPMnn (80.0%; 128/160) in identifying model groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The remarkable and consistent performance of XCID suggests its applicability for detection, manufacturer and model identification, as well as MRI safety characterization of CIED on CRs. Further studies are warranted to guarantee the safe use of XCID in clinical practice.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.770-781
• /
• 2021

Objective: Chemical exchange-dependent saturation transfer (CEST) MRI is sensitive for detecting solid-like proteins and may detect changes in the levels of mobile proteins and peptides in tissues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of chemical exchange proton pools using the CEST MRI technique in patients with dementia. Materials and Methods: Our institutional review board approved this cross-sectional prospective study and informed consent was obtained from all participants. This study included 41 subjects (19 with dementia and 22 without dementia). Complete CEST data of the brain were obtained using a three-dimensional gradient and spin-echo sequence to map CEST indices, such as amide, amine, hydroxyl, and magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTR_asym) values, using six-pool Lorentzian fitting. Statistical analyses of CEST indices were performed to evaluate group comparisons, their correlations with gray matter volume (GMV) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Amine signals (0.029 for non-dementia, 0.046 for dementia, p = 0.011 at hippocampus) and MTR_asym values at 3 ppm (0.748 for non-dementia, 1.138 for dementia, p = 0.022 at hippocampus), and 3.5 ppm (0.463 for non-dementia, 0.875 for dementia, p = 0.029 at hippocampus) were significantly higher in the dementia group than in the non-dementia group. Most CEST indices were not significantly correlated with GMV; however, except amide, most indices were significantly correlated with the MMSE scores. The classification power of most CEST indices was lower than that of GMV but adding one of the CEST indices in GMV improved the classification between the subject groups. The largest improvement was seen in the MTR_asym values at 2 ppm in the anterior cingulate (area under the ROC curve = 0.981), with a sensitivity of 100 and a specificity of 90.91. Conclusion: CEST MRI potentially allows noninvasive image alterations in the Alzheimer's disease brain without injecting isotopes for monitoring different disease states and may provide a new imaging biomarker in the future.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.23 no.10
• /
• pp.959-975
• /
• 2022

Objective: To investigate the agreement and reliability of estimating the volumes and normative percentiles (N%) of segmented brain regions among NeuroQuant (NQ), DeepBrain (DB), and FreeSurfer (FS) software programs, focusing on the comparison between NQ and DB. Materials and Methods: Three-dimensional T1-weighted images of 145 participants (48 healthy participants, 50 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 47 patients with Alzheimer's disease) from a single medical center (SMC) dataset and 130 participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset were included in this retrospective study. All images were analyzed with DB, NQ, and FS software to obtain volume estimates and N% of various segmented brain regions. We used Bland-Altman analysis, repeated measures ANOVA, reproducibility coefficient, effect size, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to evaluate inter-method agreement and reliability. Results: Among the three software programs, the Bland-Altman plot showed a substantial bias, the ICC showed a broad range of reliability (0.004-0.97), and repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant mean volume differences in all brain regions. Similarly, the volume differences of the three software programs had large effect sizes in most regions (0.73-5.51). The effect size was largest in the pallidum in both datasets and smallest in the thalamus and cerebral white matter in the SMC and ADNI datasets, respectively. N% of NQ and DB showed an unacceptably broad Bland-Altman limit of agreement in all brain regions and a very wide range of ICC values (-0.142-0.844) in most brain regions. Conclusion: NQ and DB showed significant differences in the measured volume and N%, with limited agreement and reliability for most brain regions. Therefore, users should be aware of the lack of interchangeability between these software programs when they are applied in clinical practice.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.139-144
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Children with incomplete Kawasaki disease (KD) and pyuria may be misdiagnosed with urinary tract infection (UTI) during the early phase of the prodrome. We investigated the percentage of UTI diagnoses preceding a KD diagnosis. Methods: Using the National Health Insurance data of South Korea, we assessed differences in UTI diagnoses made during the week preceding a KD diagnosis, according to demographic and geographic factors from November 2007-October 2019. Results: A total of 53,822 KD cases were identified, including 304 patients (0.56%) diagnosed with a UTI during the week preceding a KD diagnosis. The younger age group (0-11 months) showed the highest percentage of preceding UTI diagnoses (0.95%), with higher odds than 4-year-old children (3.12; 95% confidence interval, 2.05-4.77). Conclusions: These findings suggest a potentially misleading presentation of incomplete KD, a clinical conundrum requiring further investigation and validation, particularly in infants.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.66
• /
• pp.272-281
• /
• 2023

It has been known that Paeoniae Radix (PR) contains monoterpene glycosides showing a variety of biological activities such as anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, neuroprotective, and sedative effects. This study aimed to find the cytotoxic compounds isolated from the dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂)- and ethyl acetate-soluble fractions of PR. As results, thirteen compounds (1-13) were isolated and the chemical structures were identified. In addition, the human alveolar adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) was treated with isolated compounds to determine the cytotoxic effect via evaluation of cell viability. The reduction of A549 cell viability was shown as following order; gallic acid (8) > (2S)-naringenin (9) > methyl gallate (10)>6'-O-benzoylpaeoniflorin (7) > palmitic acid (3). Especially, 7 did not show the cytotoxicity in the human lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5). The effect of 7 on the cell viabilities in A549 and MRC-5 is firstly reported in this study. Further study is required to find out the cytotoxic mechanism and the selectivity for the cancer cells of 7 in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.85 no.1
• /
• pp.171-183
• /
• 2024

Purpose This study aimed to investigate which indirect parameters on preoperative MRI were the principal predictors of subscapularis tendon tears (STTs) requiring surgical repair. Materials and Methods Preoperative MRI scans of 86 patients were retrospectively reviewed for visual assessment of the STT, pathology of the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT), posterior decentering (PD) of the humeral head, humeral rotation, fatty degeneration, and subscapularis muscle atrophy. To evaluate atrophy, visual grading using the anatomical line connecting the coracoid tip to the glenoid base, designated as the base-to-tip line (BTL), and thickness measurements were performed in the en-face view. Results Arthroscopically, 31 patients (36%) exhibited Lafosse type III or IV STT and underwent surgical repair. LHBT pathology (p = 0.002), PD of the humeral head (p = 0.012), fatty degeneration (p < 0.001), and BTL grade (p = 0.003) significantly correlated with STT. In the multivariate analysis, PD of the humeral head (p = 0.011, odds ratio [OR] = 5.14) and fatty degeneration (p = 0.046, OR = 2.81) were independent predictors of STT. Conclusion PD of the humeral head and fatty degeneration of the subscapularis can help to diagnose clinically significant STT. Interpretation of these findings may contribute to the planning of an optimal surgical strategy.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.963-971
• /
• 2022

Production of high-quality horses is important to make the horse industry grow. Grazing during the growing period can be an important factor affecting the production of high-quality horses. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of grazing on growing horses by analyzing their blood components and intestinal microbiota. Twelve growing horses for evaluating blood components and ten growing horses for evaluating intestinal microbiota were raised for about seven months and separated by two treatments: grazing vs. stable. Complete blood count, blood chemistry, and creatine kinase levels were analyzed as blood components and a 16s rRNA gene sequence analysis was performed to analyze intestinal microbiota. Calcium ions tended to be lower in the group with grazing treatment. Alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase tended to be higher in the group with grazing treatment. These results indicate that grazing can provide horses with more exercise than staying in stables. At the phylum level, Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratios in grazing and stable groups were 4.2 and 6.5, respectively. Because various studies have reported that a. high Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio indicates obesity, the method of raising horses might affect their physical ability. At the species level, rates of Clostridium butyricum in grazing and stable groups were 3.2% and 13.1%, respectively. Some strains of C. butyricum can cause several diseases such as botulism. These results indicate that grazing can positively affect growing horses in terms of blood components and intestinal microbiota. Moreover, grazing can be helpful to make growing horses healthy through proper exercise.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• /
• v.34
• /
• pp.31.1-31.14
• /
• 2022

Background: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) in occupational disease claims and identify patterns of WRMSDs for each body part by industry and occupation. Methods: This study analyzed the raw data of occupational disease claims for musculoskeletal disorders deliberated by the Occupational Disease Decision Committee of the Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service in 2020. The data was classified into 6 body parts with the highest numbers of occupational disease cases by using the complete enumeration data on principal diagnoses and 4 types of subdiagnoses in the raw data. The characteristics and approval rates of WRMSDs by body part, industry and occupation were examined and summarized. Results: A total of 13,015 occupational disease cases for WRMSDs were classified, and lumbar spinal (back) diseases accounted for the largest proportion of claimed diseases, followed by shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, and neck diseases in a descending order. The occupations with the highest and second highest numbers of occupational disease cases by body part were found to be automobile assemblers and production-related elementary workers for the neck, school meal service workers and cooks for the back, construction frame mold carpenters and school meal service workers for the shoulder, elementary workers in mining and food service workers for the elbow, food service workers and automobile parts assemblers for the wrist, and ship welders and school meal service workers for the knee. Conclusions: This study examined the characteristics and approval status of WRMSDs by body part and occupation. Based on the study results, management strategies for the prevention of WRMSDs should be established regarding occupations with a high risk of WRMSDs for each body part.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.69 no.2
• /
• pp.97-110
• /
• 2024

This study investigated 575 cultivated soybean landraces from different provinces in Korea, using 17 key agromorphological traits. The studied soybeans showed wide variations in both qualitative and quantitative traits, signifying the existence of genetic diversity. The standardized Shannon-Weaver index (H') ranged from 0.3 to 1.0, with seed-related traits having an H' value higher than 0.7. Similarly, quantitative traits showed significant variation, with the coefficient of variation ranging from 7.2% for days to maturity (DM) to 62.3% for the number of pods per plant (PPP). In terms of province, the Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do accessions differed from the other accessions, with higher proportions of green and yellow seed coats and lower proportion of black hilums. Gyeongsangnam-do accessions also showed early maturation and flowering but had the lowest average one-hundred seeds weight (HSW). In contrast, Jeollanam-do accessions flowered and matured late but had the highest average seed weight per plant (SWPP). Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the soybeans into 12 clusters, and further statistical analysis showed significant variations in all quantitative traits (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis grouped the accessions based on the clusters. DM, PPP, HSW, and SWPP were identified as major contributors to the observed variance along the axes of the first two principal components. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between maturity and yield-related traits. Based on their relative performance, 37 promising accessions were identified. Overall, this study highlights the diversity of recently cultivated Korean soybean landraces and provides opportunities for future metabolomic and genomic studies.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.357-363
• /
• 2011

In this study, the antioxidative effects and inhibitory activities on tyrosinase of Rheum undulatum (R.undulatum) L. extracts were investigated. 50 % ethanol extract, ethyl acetate and aglycone fractions of R. undulatum L. were used in experiments. The DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activities ($FSC_{50}$) of R. undulatum L. extracts was lower than (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol, known as a typical antioxidant. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities ($OSC_{50}$) of aglycone fraction on ROS generated in $Fe^{3+}$-EDTA/$H_2O_2$ system using the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay showed the most prominent effect at a concentration of $0.265\;{\mu}g/mL$. The cellular protective effects of extract/fractions of R. undulatum L. on the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes were increased in a concentration dependent manner ($1{\sim}50\;{\mu}g/mL$). Especially, aglycone fraction in $10\;{\mu}g/mL$ concentration showed the most protective effect among extracts (${\tau}_{50}$, 757.0 min). The inhibitory effects ($IC_{50}$, $11.20\;{\mu}g/mL$) on tyrosinase of aglycone fraction was much higher than arbutin ($226.88\;{\mu}g/mL$), known as a whitening agent. These results indicate that R. undulatum L. extracts can be used as antioxidant. Particularly, aglycone fraction of R. undulatum L. showed superior antioxdative activity and high inhibitory effect on tyrosinase. Therefore, aglycone fraction of R. undulatum L. could be applicable to new functional cosmetics.