• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권22호
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• pp.10039-10043
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• 2014

Background: In Pakistan thyroid cancer is responsible for 1.2% cases of all malignant tumors. Ultrasonography (US) is helpful in detecting cancerous thyroid nodules on basis of different features like echogenicity, margins, microcalcifications, size, shape and abnormal neck lymph nodes. We therefore aimed to calculate diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in detection of carcinoma in thyroid nodules taking fine needle aspiration cytology as the reference standard. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was designed to prospectively collect data from December 2010 till December 2012 from the Department of Radiology in Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 100 patients of both genders were enrolled after informed consent via applying non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Patients referred to Radiology department of Aga Khan University to perform thyroid ultrasound followed by fine-needle aspiration cytology of thyroid nodules were included. They were excluded if proven for thyroid malignancy or if their US or FNAC was conducted outside our institution. Results: The subjects comprised 76 (76%) females and 24 males. Mean age was $41.8{\pm}SD$ 12.3 years. Sensitivity and specificity with 95%CI of ultrasound in differentiating malignant thyroid nodule from benign thyroid nodule calculated to be 91.7% (95%CI, 0.72-0.98) and 78.94% (0.68-0.87) respectively. Reported positive predictive value and negative PV were 57.9% (0.41-0.73) and 96.8% (0.88-0.99) and overall accuracy was 82%. Likelihood ratio (LR) positive was computed to be 4.3 and LR negative was 0.1. Conclusions: Ultrasonography has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting malignancy in thyroid nodules on the basis of features like echogenicity, margins, micro calcifications and shape.

• 한국정보통신학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정보통신학회 2013년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.650-652
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• 2013

VANET(Vehicular Ad-hoc NETwork)은 도로에서의 안전, 효율, 안락함을 향상시키고, 상업적인 정보나 혹은 인터넷 접속과 같은 다른 부가 가치 서비스들을 제공하므로, ITS(Intelligent Transportation System)를 위한 가장 중요한 기술이라 할 수 있다. 그러나 VANET에서 더 나은 통신효율을 위해서는 보안을 희생시키거나, 보안을 위해서는 통신 효율을 희생시키고 있지만, VANET은 이 둘 중 어느 것도 없어서는 안 된다. 따라서, 본 논문은 이 둘을 모두 해결하기 위하여 차량 간에 일관성이 없는 비정상적인 데이터나 중복되는 데이터를 없애고, 메시지 무결성을 검증하는 MAC(Message Authentication Code) 기반 SDAP(Secure Data Aggregation Protocol)를 제안한다. MAC 기반 SDAP는 데이터 전달의 효율성을 향상시킬 뿐만 아니라 전파 방해 공격, 위조 공격, 위장 공격과 같은 악의적인 공격도 탐지함으로써 VANET 보안을 강화시킬 수 있다.

• 한국물환경학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.36-43
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• 2008

To develop the continuous water quality monitoring system using the daphnid Daphnia sp., the growth of test animal, sensitivity, and behaviour response of toxicants were observed. Growth of test animal significantly increased with increasing the food density under the 90~105 mg/L ($CaCO_3$) hardness, except the concentration of food (Chrollela sp.) was exceeded than optimal food supply. Behaviour responses of test animals were continuously analyzed by changes of fractal dimension value (FDV). The FDV sharply decreased after exposure to the concentrations of 0.13 mg/L copper, 0.06 mg/L lead, and 0.38 mg/L cadmium. In these concentrations, mortality and abnormal behaviour of daphnids exhibited within ca. 1.0-h after exposure. Comparison of 24-h $LC_{50}$ values with other zooplankton species indicated that sensitivity of the Daphnia sp. was higher than most zooplankton for lead, and brain shrimp, rotifer, and water flea (Ceriodaphnia dubia, D. magna) for copper, and brain shrimp, water flea (D. lumholzi), and amphipod for cadmium. Based on the above experimental results, significant relationship between toxicity and behaviour response of Daphnia sp. was supported the high potential of water quality monitoring system. Consequently, behavioural monitoring method in this study suggests a good estimation tool for detection of the discharged toxicants in water body and for ecotoxicological assessment aquatic organisms.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.185-193
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• 2007

이 종설은 이차성 원발암에서의 $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT의 이용을 다루었다. 암환자에서 이차성 원발암의 발병 유무는 주요한 예후인자 중의 하나이다. 이차성 원발암을 조기에 진단하고 치료하는 것은 이와 관련된 암 사망률을 낮추는 데 중요하다. $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT는 해부학적 및 대사적 정보를 동시에 제공함으로써 종양 영역에서 CT나 기존의 PET보다 진단성능이 더 우수하다. 이러한 우수한 진단성능과 전신영상이 가능하다는 장점 때문에 PET/CT는 이차성 원발암을 발견하는 데에 CT나 기존의 PET보다 더 적합하다. $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT는 이차성 원발암에 대한 선별검사로서 높은 예민도와 비교적 좋은 양성예측도를 보이므로 유용하다. PET/CT 영상에서 이차성 원발암이 의심되는 병변이 보일 경우 추가적인 진단적 검사는 필수적이다. PET/CT는 이차성 원발암을 발견하는데 PET보다 우수하다.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.330-339
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• 2012

Background : Hypertension is treated with both lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-7), published in 2003, provides a streamlined management approach to hypertension for the primary care physician. The JNC-7 is the gold standard also in Korea. According to the JNC-7, special therapeutic considerations are recommended for high-risk individuals with compelling indications. The presence of compelling indications in any given patient should be considered when selecting specific pharmacotherapy to treat hypertension. However, in patients with compelling indications, it is unknown that hepatotoxicity is caused by Calcium Channel Blocker (CCB), one of 1st anti-hypertensive drugs. Now, the CCB is the most used 1st anti-hypertensive drug in Korea Therefore, we evaluated the changes in blood liver function parameters (ALT, AST, Total bilirubin, serum albumin) for the study group. Methods : We randomly collected and retrospectively analyzed Electronic Medical Record data (n=28,788) of patients, and who took calcium channel blockers(non-dihydropyridines; diltiazem, verapamil, dihydropyridines; amlodipine, barnidipine, benidipine, clinidipine, efonidipine, felodipine, isradipine, lacidipine, lercanidipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine), with having liver function tests (LFTs) from July 1st 2009 to June 30th 2010 at the Seoul National University Hospital in Korea. Control groups are two antihypertensive agents: RAS blockade (ARB; candesartan, irbesartan, losartan, olmesartan, telmisartan, valsartan, ACE-I; cilazapril, enalapril, fosinopril, imidapril, perindopril, ramipril) and, Diuretics (loop; furosemide, torsemide, thiazide; hydrochlorothiazide[HCTZ], indapamide). Patients not having LFT results at these three standard points of time(baseline, during, medication, and after finishing medication) were excluded. The collected data were analyzed by using the SPSS (Version12.0) and Microsoft Excel (Version2007). Results : 711 patients who were treated CCB (297), RAS blockade (232) or Diuretics (182) monotherapy were selected for the study. In selected patients, liver damage degree(changes of each LFTs value) was higher in diuretics group than other groups, followed by RAS blockade and CCB. In diuretics group's was loop-diuretics group was higher than thiazide-diuretics group. In CCB group, Nondihydropyridine-CCB's damage degree was higher than Dihydropyrine-CCB's that. Conclusions : Despite the limitations due to the retrospective study, among patients with abnormal LFTs, the use of CCBs led to a less liver damage than other 1st anti-hypertensive agents. It can be recommended CCBs as one of the initial treatments of hypertension in patients with liver disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권15호
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• pp.6285-6288
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is commonly diagnosed at late stages in countries with limited resources. In Morocco, breast cancer is ranked the first female cancer (36.1%) and screening methods could reduce the proportion presenting with a late diagnosis. Morocco is currently adopting a breast cancer screening program based on clinical examination at primary health facilities, diagnosis at secondary level and treatment at tertiary level. So far, there is no systematic information on the performance of the screening program for breast cancer in Morocco. The aim of this study was to analyze early performance indicators. Materials and Methods: A retrospective evaluative study conducted in Temara city. The target population was the entire female population aged between 45-70 years. The study was based on process and performance indicators collected at the individual level from the various health structures in Tamara between 2009 and 2011. Results: A total of 2,350 women participated in the screening program; the participation rate was 35.7%. Of these, 76.8% (1,806) were married and 5.2% (106) of this group had a family history of breast cancer. Of the women who attended screening, 9.3% (190) were found to have an abnormal physical examination findings. A total of 260 (12.7%) were referred for a specialist consultation. The positive predictive value of clinical breast examination versus mammography was 23.0%. Forty four (35.5%) of the lesions found on the mammograms were classified as BI-RADs 3; 4 or 5 category. Cancer was found in 4 (1.95%) of the total number of screened women and benign cases represented 0.58%. Conclusions: These first results of the programme are very encouraging, but there is a need to closely monitor performance and to improve programme procedures with the aim of increasing both the participation rate and the proportion of women eligible to attend screening.

• 정보처리학회논문지:소프트웨어 및 데이터공학
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• 제6권11호
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• pp.537-542
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• 2017

공격적인 성향의 운전은 자동차 사고의 주요한 원인이 된다. 기존 연구에서는 공격적 성향의 운전을 검출하기 위해, 주로 청년을 대상으로 연구가 이뤄졌으며 기계학습의 순수한 Clustering 또는 Classification 기법을 통해 이뤄졌다. 그러나 노인들은 취약한 신체적 조건에 의해 젊은 운전자와는 다른 운전 강도를 가지고 있어 기존의 방식으로는 검출이 불가능 하며, 데이터를 보정하는 등의 새로운 방법이 필요하다. 그리하여, 본 연구에서는 기존의 클러스터링 기법(K-means, Expectation - maximization algorithm)에, 새롭게 제안하는 ECA(Enhanced Clustering method for Acceleration data)기법을 추가하여, 주행 차량에 위치한 스마트폰으로부터 수집된 가속도 데이터를 분석하고 공격적인 운전 형태를 검출해 낸다. ECA는 모든 피험자의 데이터에서 K-means와 EM을 통해 검출된 군집군의 데이터 중 높은 강도의 데이터를 선별하여, 특징을 스케일링한 값을 통해 모델링한다. 본 방식을 통해 기존의 연구의 순수한 클러스터링 방식과는 달리, 모든 청장년 및 노인 실험 참가자 개인들의 공격적인 운전 데이터가 검출되었으며, 클러스터링 기법간의 비교를 통해 K-means 기법이 보다 높은 검출 효율을 갖고 있음을 확인했다. 또한, K-means 방식을 검출한 공격적인 운전 데이터에서는 젊은 운전자가 노인운전자에 비해 1.29배의 높은 운전 강도를 가지고 있음을 발견했다. 이와 같이 본 연구에서 제안된 방식은 낮은 운전 강도를 갖고 있는 노인의 데이터에서 공격적인 운전을 검출 가능하게 되었으며, 특히. 제안된 방법은 노인 운전자를 위한 맞춤형 안전운전 시스템을 구축이 가능하며, 추후 다양한 연구을 통해 이상 운전 상태를 검출하고 조기 경보하는데 활용이 가능할 것이다.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.318-326
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• 1992

Ga-67 citrate scan has been requested for detection or follow-up of inflammatory or neoplastic disease. Visualization of Ga-67 citrate in the kidneys at 48 and 72 hr post injection is usually interpreted as evidence of renal pathology. But precise mechanisms of abnormal Ga-67 uptake in kidneys were unknown. We undertook a study to determine the clinical value of Ga-67 citrate imaging of the kidneys in 68 patients with primary or secondary nephropathy confirmed by renal biopsy and 66 control patients without renal disease. Renal uptake in 48 to 72 hr images was graded as follows: Grade 0=back-ground activity:1=faint uptake greater than background;2=definite uptake, but less than lumbar vertebrae; 3=same uptake as lumbar vertebrae, but less than liver; 4=same or higher uptake than liver. The results were as follows. 1) 42 of 65 (62%) patients with noninfectious nephritis showed grade 2 or higher Ga-67 renal uptake but only 10 percent of control patients showed similar uptake. 2) In 14 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 8 of 9 (89%) patients with lupus nephritis exhibited marked renal uptake 3) 36 of 41 patients (88%) with combined nephrotic syndrome showed Grade 2 or higher renal uptake. 4) Renal Ga-67 uptake was correlated with clinical severity of nephrotic syndrome determined by serum albumin level, 24 hr urine protein excretion and serum lipid levels. 5) After complete remission of nephrotic syndrome, renal uptake in all 8 patients who were initially Grade 3 or 4, decreased to Grade 1 or 0. In conclusion, we think that the mechanism of renal Ga-67 uptake in nephrotic syndrome might be related to the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome. In systemic lupus erythematosus, Ga-67 citrate scan is useful in predicting renal involvement.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.37-47
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• 2011

Objectives : Previous studies have shown that Fructus mume (FM) has anti-platelet effects. The present study was performed to determine the acute oral toxicity and quality control of a crude extract of FM in ICR mice. Methods : We investigated the in vivo single dose acute toxicity of FM 95% ethanol extract. This test was orally administered once by gavage to 20 male and 20 female mice at dose levels of 0 (control group), 1250, 2500 and 5000mg/kg body weight, respectively. Mortalities, clinical findings, autopsy findings and body weight changes were monitored daily for the 14 days following the administration. HPLC analysis was performed for the simultaneous determination of ursolic acid and p-hydroxycinnamic acid in FM. Reverse-phase chromatography using a C18 column and photodiode array detection at 211 nm was used for quantification of the two maker components. The mobile phase for gradient elution consists of water and acetonitrile. Results : We observed survival rates, general toxicity, change of body weight, and autopsy. The mice did not die after single oral administration of maximum dose of FM. Autopsy of animal revealed no abnormal gross finding. Therefore, $LD_{50}$ value of FM for ICR mice was more than 5000mg/kg on oral route. The HPLC analysis showed that ursolic acid and p-hydroxycinnamic acid amounts to 9.75- and 0.12% in the extract with the retention times of 47.99- and 15.38 minutes, respectively. Conclusions : These results suggest that no toxic dose level of FM in mice is considered to be more than 5000mg/kg. Consequently, it was concluded that FM have no effect on acute toxicity and side effect in ICR mice. For the quality control of FM extract, simultaneous determination of ursolic acid and p-hydroxycinnamic acid was established.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제25권8호
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• pp.742-748
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• 2024

Objective: ¹⁸F-N-(2-(Diethylamino)ethyl)-5-(2-(2-(2-fluoroethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy) picolinamide (¹⁸F-PFPN) is a novel positron emission tomography (PET) probe designed to specifically targets melanin. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic feasibility of ¹⁸F-PFPN in patients with ocular or orbital melanoma. Materials and Methods: Three patients with pathologically confirmed ocular or orbital melanoma (one male, two females; age 41-59 years) were retrospectively reviewed. Each patient underwent comprehensive ¹⁸F-PFPN and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) PET scans. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max) of the lesion and the interference caused by background tissue were compared between ¹⁸F-PFPN and ¹⁸F-FDG PET imaging. In addition, the effect of intrinsic pigments in the uvea and retina on the interpretation of the results was examined. The contralateral non-tumorous eye of each patient served as a control. Results: All primary tumors (3/3) were detected using ¹⁸F-PFPN PET, while only two primary tumors were detected using ¹⁸F-FDG PET. Within each lesion, the SUV_max of ¹⁸F-PFPN was 2.6 to 8.3 times higher than that of ¹⁸F-FDG. Regarding the quality of PET imaging, the physiological uptake of ¹⁸F-FDG PET in the brain and periocular tissues limited the imaging of tumors. However, ¹⁸F-PFPN PET minimized this interference. Notably, intrinsic pigments in the uvea and retina did not cause abnormal concentrations of ¹⁸F-PFPN, as no anomalous uptake of ¹⁸F-PFPN was detected in the healthy contralateral eyes. Conclusion: Compared to ¹⁸F-FDG, ¹⁸F-PFPN demonstrated higher detection rates for ocular and orbital melanomas with minimal interference from surrounding tissues. This suggests that ¹⁸F-PFPN could be a promising clinical diagnostic tool for distinguishing malignant melanoma from benign pigmentation in ocular and orbital melanomas.