• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.34.1-34.12
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the success rate of endodontic treatments performed by undergraduate students and the factors associated with the outcome. Materials and Methods: A follow-up of 3 to 8 years after root canal filling was carried out in 91 patients. At the follow-up visits, medical and dental history questionnaires were applied along with clinical and radiographic examinations. Data collected in the clinical exam included: the presence of pain, swelling, sinus tract, mobility, tenderness to palpation and percussion, periodontal probing profile, and type/quality of coronal restoration. Postoperative and follow-up radiographs were digitalized and analyzed by 2 trained and calibrated examiners to assess periapical healing. The treatment outcome was based on strict clinical and radiographic criteria and classified as success (absence of any clinical and radiographic sign of apical periodontitis) or failure (other combination). Logistic regression was used to investigate the impact of clinical and radiographic variables on endodontic treatment outcomes at a 5% significance level. Results: The success rate of endodontic treatments was 60.7%. The only risk factor significantly associated with failure was the presence of a periapical lesion on the postoperative radiograph (odds ratio, 3.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-9.54). Conclusions: The success rate of endodontic treatments performed by undergraduate students was low and was jeopardized by the presence of a periapical lesion on the postoperative radiograph.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.185-188
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• 2009

Purpose: Standard of retests were discrepant and inconsistent due to inaccuracy and lack of standardization within normal range limit of tumor marker test. To enhance the standardization of retests set standard value below normal range and the Order Communication System Quality Control (OCS QC) program was put in place. This program enables managing the results within lower limit of normal range which were used for tumor marker test in Health Center. Materials and Methods: At present the tumor marker study for AFP, CEA, CA19-9, CA125, and PSA included outpatients in Asan Medical Center from February to March, 2009. The standard value was obtained by using the percentage of CV of Inter Assay according to the normal range of each tumor test. The results were confirmed by using the OCS QC program via formatted assessment of screening test such as test items, standard value and medical department. The number of out-of-range results within plus and minus 30 percents regarding the five primary items of tumor marker test was assessed. The next step was to obtain the number of AFP, CEA, and CA125 according to the ratio of comparison between prior and post test result, 60%, 50%, and 40% within normal range, respectively. In addition, set standard value below normal range. Results: The first screening test with percentage of sample number was resulted between 30%-40% and the second one was AFP 26.1%, CEA 18.9%, CA19-9 17.3%, CA125 18.7%, and PSA 21.0% obtained screening percentage of average 20 percents. The limited value of retest was AFP less than 5.0 and more than 10.0, CEA less than 1.0 and more than 3.0, CA19-9 less than 10.0 and more than 30.0, and PSA less than 1.0 and more than 2.0 to set and the number of retest was obtained by applying to the limited value of retest to screening percentage of average 20 percents For two months, the number of retest was AFP 0, CEA 15, CA19-9 3, CA125 2, and PSA 5. Conclusions: Through using the OCS QC program in establishing the standard of retest systemically, there appeared to be reduced discrepancy among the examiners and to be expected improvement in relation to the error of results.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.346-354
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• 2018

In the probe of a medical ultrasound device, three parts were selected randomly by the examiner and the bacteria in the probe were detected by the blood examiners. In addition, the degree of death of the pathogenic bacteria after each disinfection of the detected pathogens, disinfecting ethanol, and disinfecting tissue of the detected pathogens were analyzed quantitatively. The following was detected: S Aureus (32.3 %), Bacillus spp. (26.5 %), Micrococcus spp. (21.5 %), and CNS (20 %). With the conventional probe, S. aureus (26.2 %), a playback curve (24.2 %), and a micron (19.5 %), Micrococcus spp. (15.5 %), and CNS (14.6 %) were observed. In the fan probe, S. aureus (24.7 %), Enterococcus (24.7 %), Enterococcus (17.7 %), and CNS (13.8 %) were detected. The disinfection of the three pathogens detected revealed sterilization of most of the pathogens, and most cases contained at least 91.3 % of the total sterilizing effect (P>0.05). In addition, for the disinfection of Propolis extract and disinfecting tissue, the disinfection effect was lower than that of disinfecting ethanol, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The results revealed bacteria on most of the ultrasound probes. Antiseptic disinfection of surgical instruments using an extract of propolis works with results similar to those of ethanol. A blood test along with disinfection can help prevent infection if an ultrasound probe is applied to food.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.741-749
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• 2000

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between reversed circadian blood pressure and risk factors of peripheral vascular disease in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) subjects. The subjects in this study were 18 NIDDM patients who were hospitalized in a medical unit of an university medical center located in Incheon, Korea, between November, 1998 and March, 1999. Blood pressure was measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer by 2 trained examiners every 2 hours during 24 hours. NIDDM subjects were divided into a dipper group and non-dipper group. Dippers are defined as those who show a mean nighttime blood pressure(BP) drop of more than 10% compared with daytime BP. Non-dippers are defined as those who show a mean nighttime BP drop of less than 10%, or an elevation in BP compared with daytime BP. Daytime BP included values obtained between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Night time BP included values obtained between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Data was analyzed by SPSS/PC package. Chi-square( $^2$) test was used for the comparison of sex between The dipper group and non-dipper group. Mann-Whitney test was used for comparisons of values of the risk factors of peripheral vascular disease and the frequency of complications of diabetes between the dipper group and non-dipper group. The results are as follows. There were no significant differences in daytime systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures between the dipper group and non-dipper group. However, night time systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures in the non-dipper group were significantly nigher than those in the dipper group (p=.021). There were no differences in sex, age, body, weight, duration of diabetes, serum lipid levels, BUN and HbA1c between the two groups. On the contrary, 87.5% of non-dipper group subjects showed having hypertension, 30% of dipper group subjects showed having hypertension and this difference was statistically significant (p=.018). All of the non-dipper group subjects (N=8) showed having at least one diabetic complication. However, 40% of the dipper group subjects (N=10) showed having no diabetic complication at all and this difference was also statistically significant (p=.049). There were no significant differences in frequency of nephropathy, neuropathy and retinopathy between the dipper group and non-dipper group.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2022

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (INM) ensures the stability and safety of specific surgeries in high-risk groups. As part of INM, intensive tests are conducted during the surgical process. When INM tests are applied during surgery, a delay in notifying the operating surgeon in cases of neurological defects can cause serious irreversible sequelae to the patient. Aortic replacement, which is necessitated due to aortic aneurysms and aortic dissection, is a complicated procedure that blocks the blood flow to the heart. When arteries that branch out from the aorta and supply blood to the spinal cord are replaced, blood flow to the spinal cord decreases, resulting in spinal ischemia. In aortic surgery, INM plays an important role in preventing spinal ischemia and serious complications by quickly detecting the early signs of spinal ischemia during cross-clamping and reporting it to the surgeon. Therefore, this paper was prepared to help examiners who conduct INM by detailing the process, method, time, and warning criteria for INM. This paper identifies the need for INM in aortic surgery and the process flow for a smooth test, accurate and rapid examination, and subsequent reporting.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to describe and compare how emergency room (ER) nurses and coroners perceive good death and their attitudes toward death. Methods: A survey was performed with 51 ER nurses in P city and 44 coroners nationwide. Data were collected from October 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANCOVA, Scheffe's test using the IBM SPSS statistics 21.0 program. Results: For the perception of good death and attitudes toward death, coroners scored higher ($3.01{\pm}0.43$ and $2.87{\pm}0.35$, respectively) than ER nurses group ($2.95{\pm}0.40$ and $2.61{\pm}0.33$, respectively), but the differences were not significant. The results of perception of good death and attitudes toward death were not statistically significant between ER nurses and coroners. Conclusion: The study showed no difference between ER nurses' perception of good death and attitudes toward death and those held by coroners. The findings of the study show that it is necessary to offer steady education on death to nurses and coroners to help them build a proper understanding of good death and grow positive attitudes toward death.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 2017

There is greater standardization of quality control for microscopic examination of urine than for physicochemical test. In this study, we investigated whether it is possible to control the sediment accuracy by microscopic examination through the real thing by preserving the essential sediment with glutaraldehyde, which is required for the rationality of sediment quality control. A urine specimen was prepared using 2.5% glutaraldehyde as a preservation solution. Samples treated with urine preservatives confirmed the morphological deformation of the cells for four weeks at intervals of one week and confirmed whether they should be preserved for 4 weeks thereafter. After preparing the required sediment slide, two more slides were produced; one was stored in a refrigerator for, and the other was stored at room temperature. The morphological deformation of the specimen was confirmed. Glutaraldehyde has the effect of preserving the refrigerated essential sediments and storing them for up to 8 weeks, refrigerated storage after slide production, stabilized by 3 days. Moreover, after treatment with preservatives, the production of the slide and comparison between the measured values between the laboratories and examiners showed a low consistency. In conclusion, we showed that the urine sediment components can be preserved, and it can be used for quality control and education through real objects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.751-759
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• 2023

Breast ultrasonography is difficult to image in fatty breasts and to find micro-calcification, but the discovery of micro-calcification is very important for breast cancer screening. Among the color Doppler artifact of ultrasound, twinkle artifact mainly occur on strong reflectors such as stones or calcification in images, and evaluation methods using them are clinically being used. In this study, we are conducting experiments on the color Doppler settings of ultrasound equipment, such as repetition frequency, ensemble, persist, wall filtering, smoothing, linear density, and dissociation value, by producing a breast simulation phantom using the largest amount of calcium phosphate among breast implants. The purpose of this study was to improve the contrast of twinkle artifact in breast ultrasound examinations and to maximize their use in clinical practice. As a result, the pulse repetition frequency occurred in the range of 3.6 kHz to 7.2 kHz, and did not occur above 10.5 kHz. For ensembles, twinkle artifact occurred in all sizes of calcification under low conditions, and in threshold settings, the twinkle artifact increased slightly only under 80 to 100 conditions, and did not occur in 1 mm size calcification. Persist, wall filter, smoothing, and line density settings did not have much meaning in the setting variable because conditions did not increase by condition, and pulse repetition frequency, ensemble, and thresholds had the greatest impact on the twinkling artifact image. This study is expected to help examiners select optimal conditions to effectively increase twinkle artifact by adjusting color Doppler settings.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.253-259
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• 2017

The study examines changes in calcium volume on born by comparing two figures; one is measured by dual energy computed tomography(DECT) followed by applying variation in monochromatic energy selection(keV), material decomposition(MD), and material suppressed iodine(MSI) analysis, and the other is measured by conventional single source computed tomography(CSCT). For this study, based on CSCT images taken by using human mimicked phantom, 70, 100, 140 keV and MSI, MD material calcium weighting(MCW) and MD material iodine weighting(MIW) of DECT were applied respectively. Then calculated calcium volume was converted to Agatston score for comparison. Volume of human mimicked phantom was in inverse proportion to keV. The volume decreased while keV increased(p<0.05). The most similar DECT volumes were reconstructed at 70 keV, the difference was showed $35.8{\pm}12.2$ for rib, femur ($16.1{\pm}24.1$), pelvis($13.7{\pm}18.8$), and spine($179.0{\pm}61.8$). However, the volume of MSI was down for each organ; the volume of rib was 5.55%, femur(76.34%), pelvis(55.16%) and spine(87.58%). The volume of MSI decreased 55.9% for rib, femur(80.7%), pelvis(69.6%) and spine(54.2%) while MD MIW reduced for rib(83.51%), femur(87.68%), pelvis(86.64%), and spine(82.62%). With the results, the study found that outcomes were affected by the method which examiners employed. When using DECT, calcium volume of born dropped with keV increased. It also found that the most similar DECT images were reconstructed at 70 keV. The results of experiments implied that the users of MSI and MD should be cautious of errors as there are big differences in scores between those two methods.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.361-370
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• 2009

The image quality management of bone mineral density is the responsibility and duty of radiologists who carry out examinations. However, inaccurate conclusions due to lack of understanding and ignorance regarding the methodology of image quality management can be a fatal error to the patient. Therefore, objective of this paper is to understand proper image quality management and enumerate methods for examiners and patients, thereby ensuring the reliability of bone mineral density exams. The accuracy and precision of bone mineral density measurements must be at the highest level so that actual biological changes can be detected with even slight changes in bone mineral density. Accuracy and precision should be continuously preserved for image quality of machines. Those factors will contribute to ensure the reliability in bone mineral density exams. Proper equipment management or control methods are set with correcting equipment each morning and after image quality management, a phantom, recommended from the manufacturer, is used for ten to twenty-five measurements in search of a mean value with a permissible range of ${\pm}1.5%$ set as standard. There needs to be daily measurement inspections on the phantom or at least inspections three times a week in order to confirm the existence or nonexistence of changes in values in actual bone mineral density. in addition, bone mineral density measurements were evaluated and recorded following the rules of Shewhart control chart. This type of management has to be conducted for the installation and movement of equipment. For the management methods of inspectors, evaluation of the measurement precision was conducted by testing the reproducibility of the exact same figures without any real biological changes occurring during reinspection. Bone mineral density inspection was applied as the measurement method for patients either taking two measurements thirty times or three measurements fifteen times. An important point when taking measurements was after a measurement whether it was the second or third examination, it was required to descend from the table and then reascend. With a 95% confidence level, the precision error produced from the measurement bone mineral figures came to 2.77 times the minimum of the biological bone mineral density change. The value produced can be stated as the least significant change (LSC) and in the case the value is greater, it can be stated as a section of genuine biological change. From the initial inspection to equipment moving and shifter, management must be carried out and continued in order to achieve the effects. The enforcement of proper quality control of radiologists performing bone mineral density inspections which brings about the durability extensions of equipment and accurate results of calculations will help the assurance of reliable inspections.