• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.597-607
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• 2002

Background : Even though it is well known that pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves exercise capacity, and the quality of life, in patients with chronic lung diseases, not many patients can attend hospital based intensive PR in Korea. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for a home-based PR program, and study its effectiveness. Materials and Methods : Twenty patients with chronic lung diseases were randomly divided into two groups : a home PR group comprising of 10 male patients, with a mean age of 70 years, and a control group comprising of 10 male patients, with a mean age of 65 years. We developed exercise programs, depending on the exercise capacity of each patient, which were easy to do at home. The PR program consisted of a 12 week period of enforced aerobic (mostly walking) and muscle strengthening exercises, as prescribed by the exercise specialist, in accordance with the functional capacity of the patient. In addition to the education, nutritional and psychiatric consultation was undertaken, and respiratory muscle training arranged. Patients visited hospital every 2 weeks for evaluation and exercise prescription. Results : All patients finished the 12 week course of therapy. Following the home PR, the endurance times and work capacity of the upper and lower extremities were significantly increased in the treatment group in comparison to the controls. The six minute working (Eds note:should) 'working' read "walking"?) distance was increased from $465{\pm}60m$ to $508{\pm}37m$ and the maximal inspiratory pressure from $72.8{\pm}27.2cmH_2O$ to $91.4{\pm}30.9cmH_2O$. The quality of life, as assessed by St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), was also improved following PR. (Eds note:do you have figures for before and after, and a reference for the SGRQ?i.e. for the main paper.) Conclusion : The home PR program we developed seemed to be applicable, and effective, to most of the patients with chronic lung diseases in this study.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2013

Purpose: The Change of CT exposure condition have a effect on image quality and patient exposure dose. In this study, we evaluated effect CT image quality and SUV when CT parameters (Pitch, Rotation time) were changed. Materials and Methods: Discovery Ste (GE, USA) was used as a PET/CT scanner. Using GE QA Phantom and AAPM CT Performance Phantom for evaluate Noise of CT image. Images are acquired by using 24 combinations that four stages pitch (0.562, 0.938, 1.375, 1.75:1) and six stages X-ray tube rotation time (0.5s-1.0s). PET images are acquired using 1994 NEMA PET Phantom ($^{18}F-FDG$ 5.3 kBq/mL, 2.5 min/frame). For noise test, noise are evaluated by standard deviation of each image's CT numbers. And then we used expectation noise according to change of DLP (Dose Length Product) to experimental noise ratio for index of effectiveness. For spatial resolution test, we confirmed that it is possible to identify to 1.0 mm size of the holes at the AAPM CT Performance Phantom. Finally we evaluated each 24 image's SUV. Results: Noise efficiency were 1.00, 1.03, 1.01, 0.96 and 1.00, 1.04, 1.02, 0.97 when pitch changes at the QA Phantom and AAPM Phantom. In case of X-ray tube rotation time changes, 0.99, 1.02, 1.00, 1.00, 0.99, 0.99 and 1.01, 1.01, 0.99, 1.01, 1.01, 1.01 at the QA Phantom and AAPM Phantom. We could identify 1.0 mm size of the holes all 24 images. Also, there were no significant change of SUV and all image's average SUV were 1.1. Conclusion: 1.75:1 pitch is the most effective value at the CT image evaluation according to pitch change and It doesn't affect to the spatial resolution and SUV. However, the change of rotation time doesn't affect anything. So, we recommend to use the effective pitch like 1.75:1 and adequate X-ray tube rotation time according to patient size.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2012

Purpose : Serum insulin levels are useful indicator which of reflecting the function of insulin secretion in pancreatic ${\beta}$ cell and diagnosis of diabetes, differentiating the cause of impaired glucose tolerance. Insulin measurement kits have shown some differences in many ways such as test methods as well as quality control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of seven manufacturing companies commercial kits. Materials and Methods : The values of insulin measured by three manufacturing companies (Biosource, Siemens, TFB) with 59 samples in August 2009 were compared with those measured by four manufacturing companies (Immunotech, Izotope, BNIBT, Cisbio) with 68 samples in December 2011. We evaluated precision, recovery rate, dilution test and correlation of serum insulin measurement using seven manufacturing company kits. Statistical program SPSS 12.0 was used for the verification of results. Results : The coefficients variation of the precision on all seven different kits were showed within 5.0%. Recovery rate of Biosource, Siemens, TFB kits on three different levels showed 94.2~103.7%, 99.0~104.6%, 99.7~107.6% respectively. Immunotech, Izotope, BNIBT, Cisbio were 93.5~99.1%, 91.4~99.1%, 99.2~131.0%, 84.8~102.3% respectively. There was strong correlation between the measurement of insulin by Biosource kit and that by two commercial kits, Siemens (R2=0.96), TFB (R2=0.99). There was good correlation between the measurement of insulin by TFB kit and that by three commercial kits, Immunotech (R2=0.97), Izotope (R2=0.96), Cisbio (R2=0.97). In the dilution test performed with more than 200 ${\mu}IU/ml$ high concentration samples, samples with diabetes correctly was measured in all seven manufacturing kits. However, as measured with insulinoma samples TFB, Siemens, Izotope, Cisbio kits were correctly measured, but Biosource and Immunotech kits were measured 47.4 ${\mu}IU/ml$, 72.3 ${\mu}IU/ml$, respectively. Conclusion : Serum Insulin radioimmunoassay kits were showed excellent precision, correlation and good recovery rate. However, some kits were not measured correctly in the high concentration insulin values. when selecting a kit should be considered many factors that cost effectiveness, compatible for automation equipment, high performance kit, the environment for each laboratory such as reaction time and reporting time.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.112-115
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• 2009

Purpose: The test had been applied for outpatient by end of 2006, however, it has been included in the medical examination since January 2007, as demand and interests have been gradually increasing in the thyroid gland disease and cancer. thus, we would necessarily evaluate usefulness of the test by comparing the number of patients who are diagnosed as "benignancy" by the medical test with the number of outpatient who attend and are diagnosed as autoimmune thyroid disease among the benign patient, in samsung medical center for a certain period. Materials and Methods: Based on the result for Anti-TPO Antibody test by RIA for the 12,937 patients in samsung medical center from October 2007 to March 2008, for six months, benignancy rate classified by sex and age is measured statistically and number of the patients who are diagnosed as autoimmune thyroid disease are kept tracked on. Results: According to the analysis of the Anti-TPO antibody test 1,135 of 12,937, which is 8.77% are benign and 218 treated patient of them, which is 19.2%, were diagnosed as autoimmune thyroid disease. Conclusions: Based on the statistics, usefulness of the test seem to have co relationship with derivation of autoimmune thyroid disease. this is 19.2% of probability relatively high. this figure, however, does not have strong relationship with specialty of the disease. Thus screening test seems to have somewhat effectiveness, considering other experiments and their margin.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.237-264
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• 2017

With the onset of the Human Genome Project, social concerns about 'genetic information discrimination' have been raised, but the problem has not yet been highlighted in Korea. However, non-medical institutions' genetic testing which is related to disease prevention could be partially allowed under the revised "Bioethics and Safety Act" from June 30, 2016. In the case of one domestic insurance company, DTC genetic testing was provided for the new customer of cancer insurance as a complimentary service, which made the social changes related to the recognition of the genetic testing. At a time when precision medicine is becoming a new standard for medical care, discipline on genetic information discrimination has become a problem that can not be delayed anymore. Article 46 and 67 of the Bioethics Act stipulate the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of genetic information and penalties for its violation. However, these broad principles alone can not solve the problems in specific genetic information utilization areas such as insurance and employment. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany have different regulations that prohibit genetic information based discrimination. In the United States, Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act takes a form that adds to the existing law about the prohibition of genetic information discrimination. In addition, the range of genetic information includes the results of genetic tests of individuals and their families, including "family history". Canada has recently enacted legislation in 2017, expanding coverage to general transactions of goods or services in addition to insurance and employment. The United Kingdom deals only with 'predictive genetic testing results of individuals'. In the case of insurance, the UK government and Association of British Insurers (ABI) agree to abide by a policy framework ('Concordat') for cooperation that provides that insurers' use of genetic information is transparent, fair and subject to regular reviews; and remain committed to the voluntary Moratorium on insurers' use of predictive genetic test results until 1 November 2019, and a review of the Concordat in 2016. In the case of employment, The ICO's 'Employment Practices Code (2011)' is used as a guideline. In Germany, Human Genetic Examination Act(Gesetz ${\ddot{u}}ber$ genetische Untersuchungen bei Menschen) stipulates a principle ban on the demand for genetic testing and the submission of results in employment and insurance. The evaluation of the effectiveness of regulatory framework, as well as the form and scope of the discipline is different from country to country. In light of this, it would be desirable for the issue of genetic information discrimination in Korea to be addressed based on the review of related regulations, the participation of experts, and the cooperation of stakeholders.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.179-198
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• 2000

Since dental prosthesis is made possible only when dental technicians give themselves to the study of knowledge and the acquisition of updated skills, continuing education is of great importance in that it makes up for the efforts of dental technicians. Accordingly, continuing education relates to a system designed to contribute to the enhancement of the talents of dental technicians and the dental health of the nation. Specialized knowledge and information may work as the best weapon to preserve their jbs. This is true of this modern society where no one can expecth to survive without acquiring knowledge and information constantly for work is getting more classified and more divirsifide. This paper is dedicated to take a look at the current condition of the continuing education of dental technicians and to come up with measure to make general evaluation and to improve continuing education. This research resorts to 609 questionnaires among 6433 copies save unfaithfully responded 34 copos with 6.431 dental technicians as the subjects enrolled in the Dental technician Association. The collected questionnaires consist of 365 dental technicians living in Seoul and of 244 ones, Which account for 11.8 percent of dental technicians enrolled in the association. Because dental technicians live more in local areas than Seoul, the generalization of this survey leaves something to be desired. I have come up with the following findings. 1. 6,431 dental technicians, or 36.3 percent of an total of 14,956 licensed dental technicians, were admitted as numbers of the Dental Tachnician Association as of October 31, 1999. In the '98 continuing education. 4,141 dental technicians among 4,711 dental technicians got relevant training, and in the '99 continuing education, 4,075 technicians, or 75.9 percent of 5,365 technicians got relevant training while 1,290 technicians or 24.2 percent, fail to get relevant training. 2. The survey has it that 38.1 percent of dental technicians are ignorant of the laws on continuing education, and that technicians staying in local communities(146 persons, or 61.6%) take more part in education than those living in the capital of Korea(159 persons, or 146%), and that the older they are, the more money they earn, the more carrer they have, the higher position they hold, the more part they take in education 3. According to the survey, those who have the experience of getting training more than three times account for 52 persons(16.8%) in Seoul and 47 persons(22.4%) in local districts(p<0.01). In terms of sanctions in relation to continuing education, 26 dental technicians(4.6%) say that they have ever gotten sanctions, and 533 dental technicians(95.4%) say that they haven't. And those who were absent from continuing education(72 technicians : 13.51%) didn't get any sanction. 4. In terms of the degree of understanding continuing education, local technicians(46.8% : 110 persons) have a higher understanding of continuing education than their countparts staying in Seoul(36.0% : 130). Continuing education is not the ultimate goal itself. It should be changed to motivate those who get education to be willing to take part in contunuing education, and to help dental technicians in a practical and specific way. And the branch societies should be developde to engage in more specialized and classified expert fields. Of course, the curriculum should be so selected that the conceptions of dental technicians may be reflected to the maximum extent, and the ultimate effores should be made to effect diversity in the ways of educational methods and to perfect the preparation of continuing education on the part of instructors. Regulations should be established in relation to continuing education with a veiew to enhancing the participation of continuing education and its effectiveness. The supervision of the Ministry of Health and Welfare is of great importance in this context. The regulation of continuing education is not administrative regulation, but the expression of national will to guarantee the medical service of the nation at highest level. Therefore, it is necessary that the Ministry of Health and Welfare should change their understanding of the needs for the continuing education of dental experts, and that the expertise of government employees in charge of continuing education should be expanded. It goes without saying that the government should suppory continuing education in a financial way so as to supply the person in charge of public welfare and control the quality of national medicine.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.33-41
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyse the state of the energy industry and to determine the efficiency of its functioning on the basis of energy conservation principle and application of innovative technologies aimed at improving the ecological modernisation of agricultural sectors of Kazakhstan. The research methodology is based on an integrated approach of financial and economic evaluation of the effectiveness of the investment project, based on calculation of elasticity, total costs and profitability, as well as on comparative, graphical and system analysis. The current stage is characterised by widely spread restructuring processes of electric power industry in many countries through introduction of new technical installations of energy facilities and increased government regulation in order to enhance the competitive advantage of electricity market. Electric power industry features a considerable value of creating areas. For example, by providing scientific and technical progress, it crucially affects not only the development but also the territorial organisation of productive forces, first of all the industry. In modern life, more than 90% of electricity and heat is obtained by Kazakhstan's economy by consuming non-renewable energy resources: different types of coal, oil shale, oil, natural gas and peat. Therefore, it is significant to ensure energy security, as the country faces a rapid fall back to mono-gas structure of fuel and energy balance. However, energy resources in Kazakhstan are spread very unevenly. Its main supplies are concentrated in northern and central parts of the republic, and the majority of consumers of electrical power live in the southern and western areas of the country. However, energy plays an important role in the economy of industrial production and to a large extent determines the level of competitive advantage, which is a promising condition for implementation of energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies. In these circumstances, issues of modernisation and reforms of this sector in Kazakhstan gain more and more importance, which can be seen in the example of economically sustainable solutions of a large local monopoly company, significant savings in capital investment and efficiency of implementation of an investment project. A major disadvantage of development of electricity distribution companies is the prevalence of very high moral and physical amortisation of equipment, reaching almost 70-80%, which significantly increases the operating costs. For example, while an investment of 12 billion tenge was planned in 2009 in this branch, in 2012 it is planned to invest more than 17 billion. Obviously, despite the absolute increase, the rate of investment is still quite low, as the total demand in this area is at least more than 250 billion tenge. In addition, industrial infrastructure, including the objects of Kazakhstan electric power industry, have a tangible adverse impact on the environment. Thus, since there is a large number of various power projects that are sources of electromagnetic radiation, the environment is deteriorated. Hence, there is a need to optimise the efficiency of the organisation and management of production activities of energy companies, to create and implement new technologies, to ensure safe production and provide solutions to various environmental aspects. These are key strategic factors to ensure success of the modern energy sector of Kazakhstan. The contribution of authors in developing the scope of this subject is explained by the fact that there was not enough research in the energy sector, especially in the view of ecological modernisation. This work differs from similar works in Kazakhstan in the way that the proposed method of investment project calculation takes into account the time factor, which compares the current and future value of profit from the implementation of innovative equipment that helps to bring it to actual practise. The feasibility of writing this article lies in the need of forming a public policy in the industrial sector, including optimising the structure of energy disbursing rate, which complies with the terms of future modernised development of the domestic energy sector.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2003

With the advent of stage-adapted multimodal regiments for esophageal malignancy, accurate staging has become of utmost importance. Endoscopic ultrasono graphy(EUS) i.: a diagnostic method for the local staging of esophageal cancer, in particular for T and N evaluation. The aim of this study was to examine the diagnostic efficacy of the EUS and to evaluate the relation between prognosis and EUS findings. Material and Method : We reexamined the cases of 88 consecuitive patients who underwent transthroacic esophagectomy and cervical esophagogastrostomy for esophageal cancer from January 1991 to July 2001 We compared EUS findings, histological results and outcomes. Result : There were 83 male(94.3%) and 5 female. Median age was 61.3 years old. Overall staging accuracy were 59.0% for T staging and 76.0% for N staging, In early T staging group, the accuracy was 74.9% except 74 stage. However significant differences were not found in the ability of EUS-determined T-stage and N-Stage to predict survival. Multivariate analysis showed EUS-stage to predict survival. Conclusion : EUS provides a high degree of accuracy in assessing both T and N parameters in staging esophagal cancer. EUS should be performed in all patients with esophageal cancer, not only for staging before therapy, but also as a valuable method of determining prognosis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.290-298
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• 1992

Although early diagnosis of urinary tract infection is important, the radiologic evaluation is still controversial because of the low sensitivity and the lack of cost-effectiveness. This study was carried out to evaluate the clinical utility of high resolution triple head $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT imaging in urinary tract infection. We prospectively performed $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ planar and SPECT imaging, ultrasound of kidney (US), intravenous pyelography (IVP) and voiding cystourethrography (VCU) in all 60 adult patients with UTI [26 with first episode of acute pyelonephritis (APN), 22 with recurrent APN, and 12 persistent asymptomatic pyuria] and 25 normal persons. To assess reversibility of the renal cortical defect (RCD), $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT was repeated 1 to 8 months later in those patients with abnormal initial findings. Overall detection rate of $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT imaging was 83% (50/60), but planar, US, IVP and VCU showed abnormal findings in 68%, 28%, 32% and 13%, respectively. 25 out of 27 patients with normal or single RCD were all normal in other radioligic studies. Only two patients showed vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) on VCU (grade I) and mild hydronephrosis on IVP. But, high proportion of those with multiple RCD showed abnormal findings on US (17/33), IVP (18/33), and VCU (7/33): 67% in any of these 3 studies. Especially, 3 out 7 patients with VUR showed multiple RCD on $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT without any abnormality on IVP or US. 25 normal persons showed normal findings in all studies except one false positive finding on $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT imaging. Follow-up $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT was done in 28 patients (13 with single RCD, 15 with multiple RCD). All 13 patients with single RCD showed improvement. Those with multiple RCD presented improvement in 4, no change in 10, and aggravation in 1 on follow-up studies. With these results, we conclude: 1) $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT imaging is superior to planar imaging, US, IVP or VCU in detection of renal lesion in urinary tract infection. $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT is useful as a initial diagnostic tool in adult patients with urinary tract infection. 2) The multiple RCD on $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ SPECT represent the high probability of irreversible tissue change and need of extensive urological work-up.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2010

In this paper we evaluated small field dose characteristics of exclusive cone fields versus square fields for stereotactic radiosugery (SRS) which is based on linear accelerators (LINAC). For this test, we used a small beam detector (stereotactic fields detector : SFD) with a 6 MV photon beam and a water phantom system (IBA, Germany). Percentage depth dose (PDD) was measured for different field sets (cones : ${\Phi}1\;cm$, ${\Phi}2\;cm$, ${\Phi}3\;cm$ ; square fields : $1{\times}1\;cm^2$, $2{\times}2\;cm^2$, $3{\times}3\;cm^2$) at a source skin distance (SSD) of 100 cm. We measured the point depths at 1.5 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm. The output factors were measured under the same geometrical conditions of the PDD and normalized at the maximum dose depth. To analyze the penumbra, we measured the dose profile with 95 cm of SSD, 5 cm of depth for each field sizes (${\Phi}1\;cm$, ${\Phi}3\;cm$, $1{\times}1\;cm^2$, and $3{\times}3\;cm^2$) using SFD. We obtained the values for every 1 mm interval in the physical field (90%) and 0.5 mm interval in the penumbra region (20 to 80%). The PDD variation of exclusive cones and square fields were 4.3 to 7.9% lesser than the standard field size ($10{\times}10\;cm^2$. The variation of PDD was reduced while the field size was increased. To compare the beam quality, we analyzed the $PDD_{20,10}$ and the results showed under the 1% of variations for all experiments except for ${\Phi}1\;cm$ cone and $1{\times}1\;cm^2$ fields. Output factors of exclusive cone were increased 3.1~4.6% than the square fields, and the penumbra region of exclusive cone was reduced 20% as compared to the square fields. As the previous researches report, it is very important for SRS and SFD that precise dosimetry in small beam fields. In this paper, we showed the effectiveness of exclusive cone, compared to square field. And we will study on the various detector characteristics for small beam fields.