• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.107-111
• /
• 2002

Purpose : To compare the accuracy of digital subtraction images acquired by two different methods different in positioning four reference points for geometrical standardization. Materials and Methods : A total of 36 digital radiographic images of 6 volunteers were taken at the areas of the incisor, premolar, and molar of both the maxilla and mandible using the Digora system. Each image was moved 4 mm vertically and horizontally. Four oral and maxillofacial radiologists performed digital subtraction radiography between the paired images before and after movement using Emago (Oral Diagnostic Systems, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and Sunny (Biomedisys Co., Seoul, Korea). The standard deviation of the internal gray value in Region of Interest (ROI) was statistically analyzed between the two programs using the paired t-test. Results : The standard deviation of pixel gray values from the digital subtraction images using the Sunny program were lower than that of the Emago program (p<0.05). All observers showed significant differences between each other when the Sunny program was used (p<0.05), but one observer showed a significantly higher score than other observers when they used Emago (p<0.05). The standard deviations of premolar area from both Sunny and Emago programs were significantly higher than those of anterior and molar regions (p<0.05). Conclusion: The subtracted images using the Sunny program were more accurate and sensitive than those taken using the Emago program.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate preliminarily for development of the Korean medicine clinical practice guideline (CPG) for pancreatic cancer through the analysis of existing CPGs. Methods: Through searching the medical database such as Pubmed, SCOPUS, CNKI, Google Scholar, etc. The global CPGs within recent three years were collected and analyzed. In particular, recommendations related to the Korean medicine or Chinese medicine were made primarily in the Guidelines of Diagnosis and Therapy in Oncology with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Results: The six CPGs were mentioned in this study. The academic societies and organizations developing the CPGs were located in China, Japan, Europe and America. The contents of the CPGs were the clinical questions and statements, surgical therapy, adjuvant therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, palliative medicine, risk assessment, palliation and supportive care, follow-up and recurrence, Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging. In the Guidelines of Diagnosis and Therapy in Oncology with Traditional Chinese Medicine, the etiology, mechanisms, herbal drugs, Chinese medicine assessment, complication, syndrome differentiation (SD), Chinese medicine treatment were described. Conclusions: In order to develop the proper Korean medicine CPG for pancreatic cancer and to adapt the correct integrative treatment program on the pancreatic cancer, institutional arrangements for cooperation with Korean medical communities and standardization of SD should be performed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.447-456
• /
• 2014

Until now, a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) that has an ability to slow or arrest Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression has not been developed, and all clinical trials involving AD patients enrolled by clinical assessment alone also have not been successful. Given the growing consensus that the DMT is likely to require treatment initiation well before full-blown dementia emerges, the early detection of AD will provide opportunities to successfully identify new drugs that slow the course of AD pathology. Recent advances in early detection of AD and prediction of progression of the disease using various biomarkers, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) $A{\beta}_{1-42}$, total tau and p-tau181 levels, and imagining biomarkers, are now being actively integrated into the designs of AD clinical trials. In terms of therapeutic mechanisms, monitoring these markers may be helpful for go/no-go decision making as well as surrogate markers for disease severity or progression. Furthermore, CSF biomarkers can be used as a tool to enrich patients for clinical trials with prospect of increasing statistical power and reducing costs in drug development. However, the standardization of technical aspects of analysis of these biomarkers is an essential prerequisite to the clinical uses. To accomplish this, global efforts are underway to standardize CSF biomarker measurements and a quality control program supported by the Alzheimer's Association. The current review summarizes therapeutic targets of developing drugs in AD pathophysiology, and provides the most recent advances in the clinical utility of CSF biomarkers and the integration of CSF biomarkers in current clinical trials.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.107-115
• /
• 2007

Objective: A quality management system of international standardization organization (ISO) 9001:2000 has been proposed to properly evaluate and improve the quality of productions and services. The purpose of this article was to describe on successful introduction and application of the ISO system to human assisted reproductive technology (ART) center. Methods: Center for reproductive medicine and infertility of Cheil General Hospital started the action for ISO 9001:2000 certification at January-2004. The ISO system of our center was monitored by measuring the customer satisfaction index and periodical internal and external audit. Reports of non-conformity described corrective and preventive actions for problems and occurrences that were not consistent with the standard process and operation of our center. Continuous management and improvement were performed on the project of customer dissatisfaction. Results: Our center has got the certification of ISO 9001:2000 for "Research and development of IVF-ET program for infertility treatment" from Korean Foundation for Quality at June-2004. The policy of ISO was "To establish the best center of reproductive medicine and infertility" and "To establish the best quality management system". We found 140 cases and 7 cases of non-conformity in internal and external audit for three years, respectively, and performed corrective action. Conclusion: Improvement of customer satisfaction, systemic documentation and transparency and efficacy of working procedure were achieved by application and operation of the ISO system to our center. This ISO system could be used as a basic institutional management system for the national guideline to the human ART center.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.52 no.2
• /
• pp.91-97
• /
• 2020

Standardization of vitamin analysis continues around the world, and much effort has been made to improve the accuracy of the results. This study analyzed the sigma metrics of the vitamin D test using the external quality assessment (EQA) program. Sigma metrics is used for quantitative tests performed in the laboratory, and the test results can be objectively visualized in terms of quality. This analysis was performed based on the accuracy of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) using the results of the 2019 accuracy-based vitamin D (ABVD) survey, and about 300 laboratories participated in the survey. Reference values were obtained by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reference laboratory. At six different concentrations, the sigma metrics were analyzed to be 1.00, 1.85, 2.42, 1.01, 1.54 and 0.78, respectively. An average of 1.43 sigma metrics was determined. In particular, only positive biases for ABVD-16 and 17 were shown in the liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which is the standard method for vitamin D determination when compared to the reference values. The causes of the difference can be explained by cross reactivity to various vitamin D metabolites. Laboratories need to improve their overall performance.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.259-279
• /
• 2000

This study is a descriptive analytic research measuring nursing service quality, using SERVQUAL model, to make fundamental data and strategies for nursing service improvement. Data were collected by self-reported questionnaire from 202 patients and 142 nurses, from June 7 to 14, 1999. The reliability of instrument were adequate(Cronbach ${\alpha}=.94$). SAS program was utilized for statistical analysis of collected data. The results were as follows; 1. There was a gab between patient's expectation and perception on nursing service(Gap B). Gap D was indicated an affecting factor to decide nursing service quality. Gap C was indicated an indirect affecting factor of nursing service quality. Because it was not statistically significant in total item analysis, but in individual item analysis, 7 items were appeared statistically significant. Gap A was not a gap occurrence factor of nursing service quality. 2. Focuses of nursing service quality improvement strategies were; (1) to direct qualitative improvement of nursing service in order to correspondence patient's nursing service expectation. (2) to make nurse's service activity modified because nurse's practice were not reached patient's expectation level. (3) to need internal, external factor analysis affecting nurse's service activity. 3. Nursing service quality was decided by rather environmental inappropriateness provided nursing service than itself. Therefore, to make nursing service quality improvement, it is required to improve nursing service environment. For this, followings are required; (1) to strengthen nurse's education on lower part of nursing service satisfaction and QI activities. (2) to balance demand and supply of nursing personnel. 3) to fix computerized system for reducing other duties weight except nursing care through analysis of nursing activity. (4) to construct rational cooperating system among related departments. 4. The important parts for nursing service quality improvement were indicated as follows: (1) Gap B: 'prompt reaction', 'examination symptom before patient's complaint', 'hearted nursing service reducing patient's dissatisfaction', 'explanation goals of nursing activities', 'having special Knowledge enough', 'maintenance position comfortably', 'management of patient's physical hygiene'. (2) Gap C: 'maintenance physical safety', 'explanation about hospital rules and facilities'. (3) Gap D: 'tender, safe injection and wound care'. Because above items are mostly improved through nurse's attitude change and quality improvement, it is required to establish nursing standardization and to strengthen nurse's clinical education. As the based on above results, followings are suggested; 1. SERVQUAL model is very useful to make strategies for nursing service quality improvement because it indicates multiple factors affecting hap occurrence. 2. At individual items analysis of Gap C, statistically significant 7 items appeared higher nurse's perception level than patient's perception level on nursing service were trouble perception level on nursing service quality improvement. So. it need further research to analysis about these difference occurring factors. 3. At analysis of Gap D, it is indicated that in nursing service performance process, multiple factors lowing nursing service quality were intruded. So it needs further research to analysis what these factors are and how each factors affect on nursing performance process. 4. nursing service quality measurement is changeable according to sample select time or sampled subject's characteristics. So to develope strategy for nursing service quality improvement is based on the results of periodical analysis.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.196-205
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current status of hospice palliative care facilities, and to identify problems and improve hospice palliative care in Korea. Methods: The questionnaire survey was implemented from October to December, 2007. It was consisted of general characteristics of organization, health manpower, facilities & equipments, service programs, and so on. Sixty two (79.5%) out of 78 hospice palliative care facilities returned the questionnaires. Results: They were 42 hospital-based hospice palliative care hospitals and 9 clinics, and most of them are located at central metropolitan areas (Seoul and Gyeonggi Province). more than 80% of hospitals met with the requirements (one doctor per 10 patients and one nurse per 1.5 patients), whereas 42.9% of clinics met the requirements. Approximately 22% of them met the requirement of sick room (4 patients for 1 room). Most of them provided various hospice palliative care programs. The proportion of giving regular education programs to hospice palliative care personnels were about half (41.9%). Thirty two (51.6%) facilities provided home visiting hospice palliative care service. Conclusion: There were lack of enough health manpower, rooms, and programmes and they varied among facilities. It is necessary to increase the number of hospice palliative care facilities with consideration of regional fair distribution and standardization of programmes.