• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2012

Purpose: Early identification of neonatal sepsis is a global issue because of limitations in diagnostic procedures. The objective of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of neutrophil CD64 and C-reactive protein (CRP) as a single test for the early detection of neonatal sepsis. Methods: A prospective study enrolled newborns with documented sepsis (n=11), clinical sepsis (n=12) and control newborns (n=14). CRP, neutrophil CD64, complete blood counts and blood culture were taken at the time of the suspected sepsis for the documented or clinical group and at the time of venipuncture for laboratory tests in control newborns. Neutrophil CD64 was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: CD64 was significantly elevated in the groups with documented or clinical sepsis, whereas CRP was not significantly increased compared with controls. For documented sepsis, CD64 and CRP had a sensitivity of 91% and 9%, a specificity of 83% and 83%, a positive predictive value of 83% and 33% and a negative predictive value of 91% and 50%, respectively, with a cutoff value of 3.0 mg/dL for CD64 and 1.0 mg/dL for CRP. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves for CD64 index and CRP were 0.955 and 0.527 ($P$ <0.01), respectively. Conclusion: These preliminary data show that diagnostic accuracy of CD64 is superior to CRP when measured at the time of suspected sepsis, which implies that CD64 is a more reliable marker for the early identification of neonatal sepsis as a single determination compared with CRP.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of learning immersion in clinical simulations on the relationship between nursing student learning motivation and achievement in clinical simulation. Methods: This study was conducted using a cross-sectional survey with 184 nursing students from two universities who participated in clinical simulation between September and December 2022. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, and the collected data were analyzed using independent an independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis to identify the mediating effects of learning immersion on the relationship between nursing student learning motivation and achievement. Results: Among the subvariables of nursing student learning motivation, task value and self-efficacy for learning and performance had a significant effect on learning immersion (respectively, β=.36, p=.001; β=.31, p<.001) and learning achievement (respectively, β=.48, p<.001; β=.38, p<.001). With the input of learning motivation variables, the direct effect of learning immersion on learning achievement was significant (β=.20, p=.003), and the effects of learning motivation and task value and self-efficacy on learning achievement was reduced after controlling for learning immersion, which is a mediating variable (respectively, β=.41, p<.001; β=.32, p<.001). The bootstrapping test to confirm the mediating effect of learning immersion was also significant (task value 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.02~0.20; self-efficacy 95% CI, 0.01~0.12). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that simulation educators should consider learners' motivation and immersion when organizing and operating clinical simulations.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.153-158
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• 2012

Understanding of a clinical trial is essential in developing clinical guideline and adopting evidence based practice. In designing and executing clinical trials, following ethical requirements should be considered : social value, scientific validity, fair subject selection, informed consent, favorable risk-benefit ratio, institutional review board, and respect for human subjects. According to the stage of drug development, purpose of trials, accumulated scientific data, clinical trials for drug development are classified as phase 1, 2, 3, and 4. Phases of clinical trials can be overlapped and the judgment of entering into the next phase should be considered highly strategically. In reading, evaluating and interpreting clinical trial reports, various skills and challenges exist. Patient sample composition, trial duration, selection of endpoints, responders and non-responders, placebo effect, patient recruitment, and extrapolation to the real world are the examples of those challenges. Treatment success will come from the well balanced approach of evidence based decision making and consideration of specific single case.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.4689-4692
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• 2016

Purpose: To study the clinical application value of ultrasound guided thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy and thinprep cytology testing in diagnosis of thyroid disease. Methods: A total of 78 patients with thyroid nodules were enrolled, 34 males and 44 females, aged 33-64 years old with mean age of 47.6 years. All underwent thyroid module fine needle puncture after surgery to assess cell pathology and histopathological features. Results: Sufficient specimens were obtained from all of 78 patients, the cytological results of 73 cases (93.6 %) being consistent with pathological results. While 20 cases (25.6 %) were malignant tumors, 44 (56.4 %) were benign and 9 (11.5 %) were non-tumor lesions. The sensitivity of benign and malignant thyroid nodule by thyroid fine needle puncture was 90.9 %, specificity was 98.1 % and the positive predictive value was 96.3 %. Conclusions: It is demonstrated that ultrasound-guided thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy and thinprep cytology testing have diagnostic value in clinical application for thyroid disease,showing good diagnostic coincidence rates with histopathological examination. They can thus be regarded as safe and effective for preoperative diagnosis and providing an appropriate basis for selection of surgery.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2008

This study was performed to investigation of the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in healthy adults. A total of 2,160 (male 1,415, female 745) health checkup adults were examined for AFP levels by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) method, during the period from September, 2007 to August, 2008. The mean serum AFP level was 2.168 (0.605~20.35) ng/mL, and it was 2.309 (0.605~20.35) ng/mL in male, 1.906 (0.605~10.36) ng/mL in female, respectively. 1,816 (male 1,109, female 709) healthy adults were screened for the absence of viral hepatitis and normal alanine amino transferase (ALT) levels. The mean serum AFP level of healthy adult was 2.041 (0.605~7.83) ng/mL, and it was 2.181 (0.605~7.83) ng/mL in male, 1.822 (0.605~6.55) ng/mL in female, respectively. Serum AFP increased with age group, there was a higher level in male compared to female. These results suggests that the use of reference value of AFP in healthy adults in the Jeonbuk. With the reference value now defined, it becomes possible to compare levels in different populations.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.156-159
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• 2018

Purpose: Sepsis is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis is a major problem because of the lack of specific clinical signs. Therefore, a reliable diagnostic marker is needed to guide the use of antimicrobial agents. The objective of our study was to assess the value of proadrenomedullin (pro-ADM) in establishing the diagnosis and evaluating the prognosis of neonatal sepsis. Methods: This study enrolled 60 newborn infants with sepsis proven with positive blood cultures and 30 healthy neonates. Complete blood count, C-reactive protein levels, and pro-ADM levels were obtained from all neonates. Results: The pro-ADM levels were significantly higher ($14.39{\pm}0.75nmol/L$) in the sepsis group than in the control group ($3.12{\pm}0.23nmol/L$). The optimal cutoff value for pro-ADM was 4.3 nmol/L, with a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 86.7%. The pro-ADM levels were also higher in nonsurvivors (P=0.001). Conclusion: Pro-ADM can be used as a reliable biomarker for neonatal sepsis. High pro-ADM levels were associated with mortality and could be an early indicator of disease outcome.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.57 no.11
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• pp.690-699
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• 2019

Ultrasound sonography(US) is used to evaluate various diseases of maxillofacial region including salivary glands, soft tissue and jaw lesions because of easy accessibility and no hazard of ionizing radiation. Also, US can offer dynamic study showing real-time images during diagnostic or surgical procedure. US images provide accurate information about the internal features of lesions on the jaw prior to surgical treatment. Doppler images are used to visualize the vascular distribution of the lesions and to provide additional information to enhance diagnostic value. Nevertheless, the clinical application of US imaging is limited in the dental field. This is due to the lack of knowledge about the US image and the image characteristics of the anatomical structures. It is necessary to evaluate the diagnostic value of US and evaluate its usefulness by looking at clinical cases using US images. Therefore, US imaging may be recommended as an assistant image in evaluating jaw lesions. US images provided accurate information about the internal structure of lesions on the jaw prior to surgical treatment, and diagnostic value was enhanced by visualizing the vascular distribution of the lesion using doppler imaging.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2014

PURPOSE. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of aging on the tear strength and cytotoxicity of four soft denture lining materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Four commonly used soft denture lining materials, (Coe-Comfort$^{TM}$ GC America Inc., Alsip, IL, USA; Coe-SOFT$^{TM}$ GC America Inc., Alsip, IL, USA; Visco-gel Dentsply Caulk Milford, DE, USA; and Sofreliner Tough M Tokuyama Dental Corporation Tokyo, Japan) were selected. Sixty trouser-leg designed specimens per lining material were fabricated using a stainless steel mold for tear strength testing. The specimens were divided into non-thermocycling and 1000-, and 3000-thermocycling groups. For the cytotoxicity test, twenty-four disk shaped specimens per material were fabricated using a stainless steel mold. The specimens were soaked in normal saline solution for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. Cytotoxicity was measured by XTT assay in L929 mouse fibroblasts. Data were analyzed by two way analysis of variance and Dunnett's test (P<.05). RESULTS. Before thermocycling, Sofreliner Tough M ($10.36{\pm}1.00N$) had the highest tear strength value while Coe-Comfort$^{TM}$ ($0.46{\pm}0.10N$) had the lowest. After 3000 cycles, Sofreliner Tough M ($9.65{\pm}1.66N$) presented the highest value and Coe-Comfort$^{TM}$ ($0.42{\pm}0.08N$) the lowest. Sofreliner Tough M, in all incubation periods was the least toxic with significant differences compared to all other materials (P<.05). Coe-Comfort$^{TM}$, Coe-$SOFT^{TM}$, and Sofreliner Tough M did not show any significant differences within their material group for all incubation periods. CONCLUSION. This in vitro study revealed that aging can affect both the tear strength and cytotoxicity of soft denture materials depending on the composition.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6533-6535
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new type of tumor biomarker, eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2), in serum for the early diagnosis, confirmative diagnosis as well as assessment of treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: 130 patients with NSCLC and 50 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination in our hospital provided the observation and healthy control groups. An enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) method was applied to determine serum eEF2 levels. Serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) levels in the observation group were assessed with an automatic biochemical analyzer. Results: The median levels of eEF2 in the serum of NSCLC patients was found to be significantly higher than the healthy control group (p < 0.01) and it was markedly higher in stages III, IV than stages I, II (p < 0.05). eEF2 was higher with tumor size ${\geq}2$ cm than <2 cm (P< 0.01). Furthermore, two weeks after surgery patients showed a significant trend for eEF2 decrease (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) has certain clinical values for early diagnosis, verification, and prognosis as well as classification of lung cancer patients.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.87-90
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• 2013

The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) is used primarily to evaluate coagulation abnormalities in the intrinsic pathway. The proper specimen is very important factor for precise results of blood coagulation analysis. The objective of this study was to get to the conclusion of whether to analyze again and to collect blood sample over again when APTT result shows below the reference value. We evaluated 126 samples showing a value below 20.0 sec at ATPT result, which consist of 48 males and 78 females candidates during night duty from March 2012 to December 2012. Average comparisons of APTT result between first and retested analysis among study subjects were significantly different in male samples. APTT results comparison of recollected subjects among clotted samples were also significantly different with both sexes (p<0.000). We suggest that we should carefully check the samples to get accurate results and collect samples again in case of only obtaining improper samples; even though the APTT result show below reference value.