• Title/Summary/Keyword: Follow-up monitoring

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Surgical Strategy of Epilepsy Arising from Parietal and Occipital Lobes (두정엽 및 후두엽 간질에 대한 수술전략)

  • Sim, Byung-Su;Choi, Ha-Young
    • Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.222-230
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    • 2000
  • Purpose : Resection of the epileptogenic zone in the parietal and occipital lobes may be relevant although only few studies have been reported. Methods : Eight patients with parietal epilepsy and nine patients with occipital epilepsy were included for this study. Preoperatively, all had video-EEG monitoring with extracranial electrodes, MRI, 3D-surface rendering of MRI using Allegro(ISG Technologies Inc., Toronto, Canada), and PET scans. Sixteen patients underwent invasive recording with subdural grid. Eight had parietal resection including the sensory cortex in two. Seven had partial occipital resection. Two underwent total unilateral occipital lobectomy. The extent of the resection was made based mainly on the data of invasive EEG recordings, MRI, and 3D-surface rendering of MRI, not on the intraoperative electrocorticographic findings as usually done. During resection, electrocortical stimulation was performed on the motor cortex and speech area. Results : Out of eight patients with parietal epilepsy, three had sensory aura, two had gustatory aura, and two had visual aura. Six of nine patients with occipital epilepsy had visual auras. All had complex partial seizures with lateralizing signs in 15 patients. Four had quadrantopsia. One had mild right hemiparesis. Abnormality in MRI was noticed in six out of eight parietal epilepsy and in eight out of nine occipital epilepsy. 3D-surface rendering of MRI visualized volumetric abnormality with geometric spatial relationships adjacent to the normal brain, in all of parietal and occipital epilepsy. Surface EEG recording was not reliable in localizing the epileptogenic zone in any patient. The subdural grid electrodes can be implanted on the core of the structural abnormality in 3D-reconstructed brain. Ictal onset zone was localized accurately by subdural grid EEGs in 16 patients. Motor cortex in nine and sensory speech area in two were identified by electrocortical stimulation. Histopathologic findings revealed cortical dysplasia in 10 patients ; tuberous sclerosis was combined in two, hamartoma and ganglioglioma in one each, and subpial gliosis in six. Eleven patients were seizure free at follow-up of 6 months to 37 months(mean 19.7 months) after surgery. Seizures recurred in two and were unchanged in one. Six produced transient sensory loss and one developed hemiparesis and tactile agnosia. One revealed transient apraxia. Two patients with preoperative quadrantopsia developed homonymous hemianopsia. Conclusion : This study suggests that surgical treatment was relevant in parietal and occipital epilepsies with good surgical outcome, without significant neurologic sequelae. Neuroimaging studies including conventional MRI, 3Dsurface rendering of MRI were necessary in identifying the epileptogenic zone. In particular, 3D-surface rendering of MRI was very helpful in presuming the epileptogenic zone in patients with unidentifiable lesion in the conventional MRI, in planning surgical approach to lesions, and also in making a decision of the extent of the epileptogenic zone in patients with identifiable lesion in conventional MRI. Invasive EEG recording with the subdural grid electrodes helped to confirm a core of the epileptogenic zone which was revealed in 3D-surface rendered brain.

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A Study on Urban Flower Landscape Type Classification - Focused on Literature and Expert FGI - (도시 화훼경관 유형화에 관한 연구 - 문헌 및 전문가 FGI를 중심으로 -)

  • Yoon, Duck-Kyu;Kim, Gun-Woo
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.48 no.5
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    • pp.42-58
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    • 2020
  • The purpose of this study is to classify types of urban flower landscape. As a result of the study, first, through literature and case review, it was found that the four elements of place element, form element, natural element, artificial element, should be included in the sentence and key expression for defining the concept of flower landscape. In contemplating these four elements, a newly reconstructed concept of flower landscape was presented. This is expected to be the basis for the flower landscape integration theory. Second, flower landscape was defined as a genre and a unit of urban landscape. In addition, in order to build a system of flower landscape as a specialized area, after considering the concept, characteristics, and functions of a large category of urban landscape, its hierarchical categories with flower landscape were newly arranged. Thus, the flower landscape as an urban landscape was suggested. Third, in order to provide rational selection materials to consumers through type classification, related theories were investigated by expanding not only to the flower field, but also to the urban planning and urban ecology fields. 41 elements for the type classification were extracted, and 4 core elements were derived through the clustering process. Based on the 4 elements as the classification criteria, through the opinion verification from the FGI with experts, 9 types of middle-classification and 30 types of small-classification were derived. As a follow-up research suggestion, if a valid type is additionally established through a monitoring in the type application process, and more specified application types are developed and organized by expanding second-level classification hierarchy to the third-level hierarchy, this will lead to great studies improving the system of the types.

Study on Experimental Construction Monitoring for Revegetation on the Slope of an Expressway - Follow-up Study on the Experimental Area of Revegetation, the Slope of Dangjin Daejeon Expressway (Seosejong IC), Four Years after the Construction - (고속도로 비탈면 녹화 시험시공지 조사 연구 - 당진대전선 서세종 IC 비탈면 녹화 시험시공지에 대한 시공 4년 후 시점의 추적조사 -)

  • Jeon, Gi-Seong
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.19 no.6
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    • pp.123-132
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    • 2016
  • The study was to introduce the revegetation measures for the improvement of the landscape in October, 2012 on the slope; two and four years after the introduction, the slope was examined to see the status of the revegetation. The result is as follows. The result from examining the soil on the slope, the soil was Loamy sand; which infers that the soil is in a poor condition for improving the scenery. Examining the characteristics of the vegetation-base materials, the soil acidity was pH 6.4 to 6.7; and the soil hardness was 21 to 24mm (hardness quotient of soil), this can be considered a favourable condition, which has no effect on the growth and development of plants. When it comes to the discovery of the species in the area, Lotus corniculatus var., Silene armeria L., Papaver rhoeas, Trifolium pratense L. developed and grew in spring after two years. And in the summer, Lotus corniculatus var., Dianthus chinensis L., Cosmos bipinnatus, Coreopsis drummondii L., Trifolium pratense were founded. And there were Lotus corniculatus var., Dianthus chinensis L., Aster yomena, Coreopsis tinctoria, Trifolium pratense L. in the autumn. According to the examination conducting after four years, Lotus corniculatus var., Dianthus chinensis L., Silene armeria, Cosmos bipinnatus, Coreopsis drummondii L., Papaver rhoeas, Trifolium pratense L. were founded in the spring, and Lotus corniculatus var., Dianthus chinensis L., Cosmos bipinnatus, Coreopsis drummondii L., Trifolium pratense grew in the summer. Lotus corniculatus var., Dianthus chinensis L., Astragalus sinicus, Aster yomena, Coreopsis tinctoria, Trifolium pratense L. were discovered in the autumn. Among the exotic species founded in the area, were Festuca arundinacea, Lolium perenne, Festuca rubra. When it comes to the protection of vegetation and dominance, Lotus corniculatus var., Metaplexis japonica, Coreopsis drummondii L. are the dominant species among the spring plants; and Lotus corniculatus var., Trifolium repens L., Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. were the dominant plants in the summer. In the autumn, Lotus corniculatus var., Coreopsis drummondii L., Poa pratensis appear to be the dominant plants. The colonies of Pinus densiflora and Castanea crenata var. were formed around the South Sejong IC. Part of the area is occupied by the colony of Alnus hirsuta Turcz. ex Rupr. In terms of shrub, there were Indigofera pseudo-tinctoria, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Rosa polyantha var. genuina NAKA. As ground cover plants, Sasa borealis, Rubus crataegifolius Bunge were founded.

Usability of a smartphone food picture app for assisting 24-hour dietary recall: a pilot study

  • Hongu, Nobuko;Pope, Benjamin T.;Bilgic, Pelin;Orr, Barron J.;Suzuki, Asuka;Kim, Angela Sarah;Merchant, Nirav C.;Roe, Denise J.
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.207-212
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    • 2015
  • BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The Recaller app was developed to help individuals record their food intakes. This pilot study evaluated the usability of this new food picture application (app), which operates on a smartphone with an embedded camera and Internet capability. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Adults aged 19 to 28 years (23 males and 22 females) were assigned to use the Recaller app on six designated, nonconsecutive days in order to capture an image of each meal and snack before and after eating. The images were automatically time-stamped and uploaded by the app to the Recaller website. A trained nutritionist administered a 24-hour dietary recall interview 1 day after food images were taken. Participants' opinions of the Recaller app and its usability were determined by a follow-up survey. As an evaluation indicator of usability, the number of images taken was analyzed and multivariate Poisson regression used to model the factors determining the number of images sent. RESULTS: A total of 3,315 food images were uploaded throughout the study period. The median number of images taken per day was nine for males and 13 for females. The survey showed that the Recaller app was easy to use, and 50% of the participants would consider using the app daily. Predictors of a higher number of images were as follows: greater interval (hours) between the first and last food images sent, weekend, and female. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this pilot study provide valuable information for understanding the usability of the Recaller smartphone food picture app as well as other similarly designed apps. This study provides a model for assisting nutrition educators in their collection of food intake information by using tools available on smartphones. This innovative approach has the potential to improve recall of foods eaten and monitoring of dietary intake in nutritional studies.

Development of Korean Chemical Ranking and Scoring System (CRS-Korea) and its Application to Prioritizing National Toxic Chemicals (화학물질 우선순위 선정 기법(CRS-Korea)의 개발과 적용)

  • Park Hoa-Sung;Kim Ye-shin;Lee Dong Soo;Shin Yong-seung;Choi Seung-pil;Park Seong-eun;Kim Myung-hyun;Yang Ji-yeon;Shin Dong-chun
    • Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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    • v.20 no.2 s.49
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    • pp.109-121
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    • 2005
  • A chemical ranking and scoring (CRS-Korea) system was developed and proposed to use as the first step to prioritize the toxic chemicals for the purpose of monitoring and detailed risk assessment that might follow as necessary. The CRS-Korea system takes a basic concept of risk assessment (both human health risk and ecological risk) in that risk score is determined by the product of toxicity score and exposure score. Included in the toxicity category are acute toxicity, chronic/sub -chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, and other toxicity. The exposure category consists of quantity released to the environment, bioconcentration, and persistence. A consistent scheme and a comprehensive chemical data base are offered in the CRS-Korea system to calculate a score for the each component in the two categories by using specific physicochemical, fate, and toxic properties and the quantity of the chemical used. The toxicity score is obtained by adding up all the individual scores for the components in the toxicity category. The exposure score is determined by multiplication of the score of the quantity released with the sum of persistent score and bioconcentration score. Equal weight is given to the toxicity score and the exposure score. As the CRS-Korea system was applied to identify 50 national priority chemicals, it was found that significant data gap exists on toxicity and fate properties and that the uncertainty associated with estimating the quantify released to the environment is notably high. The proposed CRS system is only a screening tool in the first step toward the priority setting and should be used with expert judgement and other considerations necessary.

Lifestyle intervention might easily improve blood pressure in hypertensive men with the C genotype of angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene

  • Kitaoka, Kaori;Kitade, Azusa;Nagaoka, Junko;Tsuzaki, Kokoro;Harada, Kiyomi;Aoi, Wataru;Wada, Sayori;Asano, Hiroaki;Sakane, Naoki;Higashi, Akane
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.385-392
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    • 2015
  • BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have reported an association of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) 3123Cytosine/Adenine (3123C/A) polymorphism with essential hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the AT2R 3123C/A polymorphism affects blood pressure for free-living hypertensive men during a 5-month intervention period. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The subjects were free-living hypertensive Japanese men aged 40 to 75 years who agreed to intervention in the period from 2004 to 2011. Detection of the AT2R 3123C/A polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction. The dietary intervention was designed to decrease salt level and to increase potassium level through cooking instructions and self-monitoring of the diet. The exercise session consisted of activities such as stretching, resistance training, and walking. Blood pressure, urinary sodium and potassium excretion, dietary and lifestyle data, and non-fasting venous blood sample were collected at baseline and after the intervention period. RESULTS: Thirty nine subjects were eligible for participation and the follow-up rate was 97.4%. The C allele proportion was 57.9%. AT2R 3123C/A polymorphism was X-chromosome-linked, therefore we analyzed the C and A genotypes. At baseline, no significant differences were observed between the genotype groups. After the intervention, there were no significant differences in lifestyle habit between the groups. Nevertheless, the estimated salt excretion (g/day) was significantly decreased only in the C genotype (13.0-10.3, P = 0.031). No significant change was observed in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (mmHg) in the A genotype, but a significant decrease was observed in the C genotype (150.0-141.5, P = 0.024). CONCLUSTIONS: In the C genotype, it might be easy to improve SBP through lifestyle intervention in free-living hypertensive Japanese men, however generalization could not be achieved by the small sample size.

A Study on the Performance Standards for a Natural Type Landscaping Rocks by Utilizing GFRC(Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) (유리섬유강화콘크리트를 이용한 자연형 경관석의 성능기준 연구)

  • Yoon, Bok-Mo;Koo, Bon-Hak
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.40 no.5
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    • pp.33-42
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    • 2012
  • This study aims to establish the performance standard for natural type landscape stone GFRC. The required performance such as material performance, structural safety performance, durability performance, and landscape performance were selected through an examination of domestic and overseas performance related references and examples, and through the questionnaires obtained from 40 experts, and the verified items and performance standards were proposed. Among the required performances, the material performance(glass fiber content, air-dried gravity), structural safety performance(flexural strength, compressive strength), durability performance(crack, corrosion resistance), and landscape performance(texture, efflorescence) were selected through the questionnaires obtained from the experts. In the case of material performance and structural safety performance with the corresponding standards that existed, final performance evaluation standard was proposed by conducting a test and comparing it with the existing standard sample, and in the case of durability performance and landscape performance on which standard does not existed, they were verified by measuring directly through field examination of formative landscape items such as artificial waterfall etc. In this study, performance standard for the material on natural type landscaping rocks GFRC and items which can be evaluated after construction such as material performance, structural safety performance, durability performance, landscape performance, and so forth were proposed, however, follow up study for pro-environmental and ecological performance standard which were recently gaining force would be required through a continuous monitoring for the construction samples afterwards.

Neurometabolic Improvement in Parkinson's Disease after Stereotactic Functional Neurosurgery by Follow-up MR Spectroscopy

  • Choe, Bo-Young;Baik, Hyeon-Man;Jeun, Sin-Soo;Son, Byung-Chul;Kim, Moon-Chan;Kim, Bum-Soo;Lee, Jae-Moon;Lee, Hyoung-Koo;Suh, Tae-Suk
    • Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.1-15
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    • 2003
  • PURPOSE - To investigate neurometabolism from the brain destructive lesions and striatal putamen-pallidus regions to the clinically worst side in patients with Parkinson's disease after stereotactic functional neurosurgery. METHODS - Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ($^1$H MRS), fifteen patients (7 males and 8 females; mean age 56.5 years; age range 43-67 years) with Parkinson's disease (PD) were studied to measure N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline-containing compounds (Cho) and lactate (Lac) levels on the neurosurgical lesions of thalamus, globus pallidus and striatal putamen-pallidus regions in a brain. RESULTS - Brain destructive lesion and striatal putamen-pallidus region in PD compared with controls were highly and significantly related to NAA/Cho ratios reduction, respectively (P =0.002, P =0.04), but showed no difference from the same regions of PD prior to neurosergery (P =0.06, P =0.77). Increased lactate peaks at 1.3 ppm were present in all the cerebral lesions, and these resonances were confirmed at a long TE =136 ms, indicating that these signals distinguished from lipids. CONCLUSIONS - Our results suggest that NAA/Cho ratios may provide as a neurometabolite marker for neurochemical changes in brain surgical lesion, and the ratios might be related to functional change of neuropathophysiological status in the striatal putamen-pallidus region of PD. Increase of lactate signals, being remarkable in surgical lesions, could be consistent with a common consequence of surgical necrosis. Therefore, MR spectroscopy could be a sensitive diagnostic tool in monitoring neurometabolic changes in PD with neurosurgical treatment.

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Family history of chronic renal failure is associated with malnutrition in Korean hemodialysis patients

  • Hwang, Ji-Yun;Cho, Ju-Hyun;Lee, Yoon-Jung;Jang, Sang-Pil;Kim, Wha-Young
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.3 no.3
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    • pp.247-252
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    • 2009
  • The present study was to investigate the nutritional status and factors related to malnutrition in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients requiring hemodialysis (HD) in South Korea. Subjects were ESRD outpatients from general hospitals or HD centers in Seoul referred to the dialysis clinic for maintenance HD care. A total of 110 patients (46 men and 64 women; mean ages $58.6{\pm}1.0y$) were eligible for this study. The family history of chronic renal failure (CRF) was considered positive if a patient reported having either a first-degree or second-degree relative with CRF. Malnutrition was defined as a triceps skinfold thickness or mid-ann muscle circumference below the fifth percentile for age and sex and forty-seven of the 110 patients were malnourished. Almost all (94%) patients had anemia (hemoglobin: <13 g/dL for men and <12 g/dL for women). Energy intake was below the recommended intake levels of energy [30-35 kcal/kg ideal body weight (IBW)] and protein (1.2 g/kg IBW) in 60% of patients. The duration of HD was longer in malnourished HD patients (P=0.0095). Malnutrition was more prevalent in women (P=0.0014), those who never smoked (P=0.0007), nondiabetic patients (P=0.0113), and patients with bone diseases (P=0.0427), adequate HD (spKt/$V{\geq}1.2$) (P=0.0178), and those with a family history of CRF (P=0.0255). Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between malnutrition and potential risk factors. After adjusting for age, sex, and other putative risk factors for malnutrition, the OR for malnutrition was greater in HD patients with a family history of CRF (OR, 3.290; 95% CI, $1.003{sim}10.793$). Active nutrition monitoring is needed to improve the nutritional status of HD patients. A family history of CRF may be an independent risk factor for malnutrition in Korean HD patients. A follow-up study is needed to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between a family history of CRF and malnutrition in Korean ESRD patients.

A Case of Bronchiectasis with Elevated Serum CA 125 Level (혈중 CA 125 수치가 지속적으로 상승되었던 기관지확장증 1예)

  • Shin, Bong Chul;Koo, Tae Hyoung;Kim, Sang Ock;Ter, Hsing Chien;Um, Soo Jung;Lee, Soo-Keol;Son, Choon Hee;Kim, Ki Nam;Lee, Ki-Nam;Roh, Mee Sook;Choi, Pil Jo
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.66 no.6
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    • pp.467-470
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    • 2009
  • Serum CA 125 is the most useful marker for monitoring patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. However, it can be elevated above normal level in a variety of conditions other than ovarian cancer such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammation disease, and other malignant or nonmalignant disorders, including pulmonary diseases. Recently, we experienced a case of bronchiectasis in which the serum CA 125 level was elevated, changing with the patient's condition. There was no evidence of underlying malignant disease on positron emission tomography or on gynecologic examination, including transvaginal ultrasonography. During follow-up for 14 months, we could not find any clue of malignant disease that could have been the cause of the elevated levels of serum CA 125. Elevated serum CA 125 level should be interpreted carefully according to the patient's clinical condition. In addition, our case suggests that CA 125 may be used as a surrogate marker for acute inflammatory status for chronic pulmonary diseases.