• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.460-468
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• 2023

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) is a pathological condition commonly occurring during the growth phase of infants. It acts as one of the factors that can disrupt an infant's growth and trigger potential complications. Therefore, it is critically important to detect and treat this condition early. The traditional diagnostic methods for DDH involve palpation techniques and diagnosis methods based on the detection of keypoints in the hip joint using X-ray or ultrasound imaging. However, there exist limitations in objectivity and productivity during keypoint detection in the hip joint. This study proposes a deep learning model-based keypoint detection method using X-ray and ultrasound imaging and analyzes the performance of keypoint detection using various deep learning models. Additionally, the study introduces and evaluates various data augmentation techniques to compensate the lack of medical data. This research demonstrated the highest keypoint detection performance when applying the residual network 152 (ResNet152) model with simple & complex augmentation techniques, with average Object Keypoint Similarity (OKS) of approximately 95.33 % and 81.21 % in X-ray and ultrasound images, respectively. These results demonstrate that the application of deep learning models to ultrasound and X-ray images to detect the keypoints in the hip joint could enhance the objectivity and productivity in DDH diagnosis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.371-385
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Soy isoflavone (SIF) and soy lecithin (SL) have beneficial effects on many chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Regretfully, there is little evidence to show the combined effects of these soy extractives on the impairment of cognition and abnormal cerebral blood flow (CBF). This study examined the optimal combination dose of SIF + SL to provide evidence for improving CBF and protecting cerebrovascular endothelial cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: In vivo study, SIF50 + SL40, SIF50 + SL80 and SIF50 + SL160 groups were obtained. Morris water maze, laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and hematoxylin-eosin staining were used to detect learning and memory impairment, CBF, and damage to the cerebrovascular tissue in rat. The 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and the oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were detected. The anti-oxidative damage index of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in the serum of an animal model was also tested. In vitro study, an immortalized mouse brain endothelial cell line (bEND.3 cells) was used to confirm the cerebrovascular endothelial cell protection of SIF + SL. In this study, 50 µM of Gen were used, while the 25, 50, or 100 µM of SL for different incubation times were selected first. The intracellular levels of 8-OHdG, SOD, GSH, and GSSG were also detected in the cells. RESULTS: In vivo study, SIF + SL could increase the target crossing times significantly and shorten the total swimming distance of rats. The CBF in the rats of the SIF50 + SL40 group and SIF50 + SL160 group was enhanced. Pathological changes, such as attenuation of the endothelium in cerebral vessels were much less in the SIF50 + SL40 group and SIF50 + SL160 group. The 8-OHdG was reduced in the SIF50 + SL40 group. The GSSG showed a significant decrease in all SIF + SL pretreatment groups, but the GSH showed an opposite result. SOD was upregulated by SIF + SL pretreatment. Different combinations of Genistein (Gen)+SL, the secondary proof of health benefits found in vivo study, showed they have effective anti-oxidation and less side reaction on protecting cerebrovascular endothelial cell. SIF50 + SL40 in rats experiment and Gen50 + SL25 in cell test were the optimum joint doses on alleviating cognitive impairment and regulating CBF through protecting cerebrovascular tissue by its antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS: SIF+SL could significantly prevent cognitive defect induced by β-Amyloid through regulating CBF. This kind of effect might be attributed to its antioxidant activity on protecting cerebral vessels.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8.1-8.15
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• 2022

Background: Brucella infection induces brucellosis, a zoonotic disease. The intracellular circulation process and virulence of Brucella mainly depend on its type IV secretion system (T4SS) expressing secretory effectors. Secreted protein BspJ is a nucleomodulin of Brucella that invades the host cell nucleus. BspJ mediates host energy synthesis and apoptosis through interaction with proteins. However, the mechanism of BspJ as it affects the intracellular survival of Brucella remains to be clarified. Objectives: To verify the functions of nucleomodulin BspJ in Brucella's intracellular infection cycles. Methods: Constructed Brucella abortus BspJ gene deletion strain (B. abortus ∆BspJ) and complement strain (B. abortus pBspJ) and studied their roles in the proliferation of Brucella both in vivo and in vitro. Results: BspJ gene deletion reduced the survival and intracellular proliferation of Brucella at the replicating Brucella-containing vacuoles (rBCV) stage. Compared with the parent strain, the colonization ability of the bacteria in mice was significantly reduced, causing less inflammatory infiltration and pathological damage. We also found that the knockout of BspJ altered the secretion of cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ) in host cells and in mice to affect the intracellular survival of Brucella. Conclusions: BspJ is extremely important for the circulatory proliferation of Brucella in the host, and it may be involved in a previously unknown mechanism of Brucella's intracellular survival.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.29-54
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• 2023

This study aimed to analyze the research trends of journal articles published by medical schools representing Korean modern. A total of 682 were selected from two journals published by Medical College in Keijo and Keijo Imperial University Medical Faculty. In results, the affiliations of authors who participated in Acta Medicinalia in Keijo included various schools and hospitals, and the authors' major was found to be similar in basic medicine and clinical medicine. In The Keijo Journal of Medicine, only school-affiliated authors participated, and 96.33% of the authors were majors in basic medicine. Co-occurrence network analysis was conducted on MeSH terms from the title of the article using MeSH on Demand, and the keyword that derived in both journals was 'erythrocytes', which analyzed the condition of red blood cells according to organs and diseases. In frequency analysis, a common area of research in both journals was the study focusing on blood and blood cells, and the study of anemia and tuberculosis, which were prevalent diseases at the time. As for comparing each journal, Acta Medicinalia in Keijo has focused on inflammatory diseases and clinical pathological studies in humans, and The Keijo Journal of Medicine has focused on anatomical studies on animals and pharmacological studies on medicines. Through this study, it was possible to identify the research topics and major keywords in two medical schools with different founding goals.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.755-765
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• 2023

Background: Caveolin-1, the scaffolding protein of cholesterol-rich invaginations, plays an important role in store-operated Ca²⁺ influx and its phosphorylation at Tyr14 (p-caveolin-1) is vital to mobilize protection against myocardial ischemia (MI) injury. SOCE, comprising STIM1, ORAI1 and TRPC1, contributes to intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) accumulation in cardiomyocytes. The purified extract of steamed Panax ginseng (EPG) attenuated [Ca²⁺]_i overload against MI injury. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of EPG affecting p-caveolin-1 to further mediate SOCE/[Ca²⁺]_i against MI injury in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and a rat model. Methods: PP2, an inhibitor of p-caveolin-1, was used. Cell viability, [Ca²⁺]_i concentration were analyzed in cardiomyocytes. In rats, myocardial infarct size, pathological damages, apoptosis and cardiac fibrosis were evaluated, p-caveolin-1 and STIM1 were detected by immunofluorescence, and the levels of caveolin-1, STIM1, ORAI1 and TRPC1 were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot. And, release of LDH, cTnI and BNP was measured. Results: EPG, ginsenosides accounting for 57.96%, suppressed release of LDH, cTnI and BNP, and protected cardiomyocytes by inhibiting Ca²⁺ influx. And, EPG significantly relieved myocardial infarct size, cardiac apoptosis, fibrosis, and ultrastructure abnormality. Moreover, EPG negatively regulated SOCE via increasing p-caveolin-1 protein, decreasing ORAI1 mRNA and protein levels of ORAI1, TRPC1 and STIM1. More importantly, inhibition of the p-caveolin-1 significantly suppressed all of the above cardioprotection of EPG. Conclusions: Caveolin-1 phosphorylation is involved in the protective effects of EPG against MI injury via increasing p-caveolin-1 to negatively regulate SOCE/[Ca²⁺]_i.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.67-82
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to explore whether or not the increased availability of legalized gambling leads to increase in the prevalence of gambling-related problems, and the relationship between gambling behaviors and gambling-related problems and residents' perceptions of their own satisfaction with life among the residents who live at the location of casinos. Three casino communities, designated by a special law as run-down mining areas, were chosen for the survey research. One community consisted of two towns, Kohan and Sabuk in Chongsun county at which the casino is located. The other communities were Taeback city and other rural areas in Chongsun county. 559 samples from three communities completed self-administered questionnaires(gambling behavior participation, K-NODS, perceived impacts coward casino development, and scales of the satisfaction with life). Results were as follows; it was found that there was a positive relationship between gambling behaviors and gambling-related problems, and a negative relationship between gambling-related problems and the satisfaction with life. While residents who live Kohan and Sabuk community were likely to perceive negative impacts of the casino development, the residents in Taeback city were likely to perceive the casino development positively. It was found that the increased casino accessibility led co the increase in the gambling problems; the prevalence rates of pathological gambling in Kohan and Sabuk community were higher than both in Taebak city and in more rural areas in Chongsun county. The nagative impacts of legalized casino industry on community where the casino located were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.983-993
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the image quality of ultralow-dose CT (ULDCT) of the chest reconstructed using a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network (CycleGAN)-based deep learning method in the evaluation of pulmonary tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: Between June 2019 and November 2019, 103 patients (mean age, 40.8 ± 13.6 years; 61 men and 42 women) with pulmonary tuberculosis were prospectively enrolled to undergo standard-dose CT (120 kVp with automated exposure control), followed immediately by ULDCT (80 kVp and 10 mAs). The images of the two successive scans were used to train the CycleGAN framework for image-to-image translation. The denoising efficacy of the CycleGAN algorithm was compared with that of hybrid and model-based iterative reconstruction. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were performed to compare the objective measurements and the subjective image quality scores, respectively. Results: With the optimized CycleGAN denoising model, using the ULDCT images as input, the peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity index improved by 2.0 dB and 0.21, respectively. The CycleGAN-generated denoised ULDCT images typically provided satisfactory image quality for optimal visibility of anatomic structures and pathological findings, with a lower level of image noise (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 19.5 ± 3.0 Hounsfield unit [HU]) than that of the hybrid (66.3 ± 10.5 HU, p < 0.001) and a similar noise level to model-based iterative reconstruction (19.6 ± 2.6 HU, p > 0.908). The CycleGAN-generated images showed the highest contrast-to-noise ratios for the pulmonary lesions, followed by the model-based and hybrid iterative reconstruction. The mean effective radiation dose of ULDCT was 0.12 mSv with a mean 93.9% reduction compared to standard-dose CT. Conclusion: The optimized CycleGAN technique may allow the synthesis of diagnostically acceptable images from ULDCT of the chest for the evaluation of pulmonary tuberculosis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2024

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer polysaccharides exhibit various biological functions, like antagonizing galectin-3-mediated cell adhesion and migration. Galectin-8 (Gal-8), with its linker-joined N- and C-terminal carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), is also crucial to these biological processes, and thus plays a role in various pathological disorders. Yet the effect of ginseng-derived polysaccharides in modulating Gal-8 function has remained unclear. Methods: P. ginseng-derived pectin was chromatographically isolated and enzymatically digested to obtain a series of polysaccharides. Biolayer Interferometry (BLI) quantified their binding affinity to Gal-8, and their inhibitory effects on Gal-8 was assessed by hemagglutination, cell migration and T-cell apoptosis. Results: Our ginseng-derived pectin polysaccharides consist mostly of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and homogalacturonan (HG). BLI shows that Gal-8 binding rests primarily in RG-I and its β-1,4-galactan side chains, with sub-micromolar K_D values. Both N- and C-terminal Gal-8 CRDs bind RG-I, with binding correlated with Gal-8-mediated function. Conclusion: P. ginseng RG-I pectin β-1,4-galactan side chains are crucial to binding Gal-8 and antagonizing its function. This study enhances our understanding of galectin-sugar interactions, information that may be used in the development of pharmaceutical agents targeting Gal-8.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2024

Background: This retrospective study aimed to determine the treatment patterns and the surgical and oncologic outcomes after completion lobectomy (CL) in patients with locoregionally recurrent stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who previously underwent sublobar resection. Methods: Data from 36 patients who initially underwent sublobar resection for clinical, pathological stage IA NSCLC and experienced locoregional recurrence between 2008 and 2016 were analyzed. Results: Thirty-six (3.6%) of 1,003 patients who underwent sublobar resection for NSCLC experienced locoregional recurrence. The patients' median age was 66.5 (range, 44-77) years at the initial operation, and 28 (77.8%) patients were men. Six (16.7%) patients underwent segmentectomy and 30 (83.3%) underwent wedge resection as the initial operation. The median follow-up from the initial operation was 56 (range, 9-150) months. Ten (27.8%) patients underwent CL, 22 (61.1%) underwent non-surgical treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, concurrent chemoradiation therapy), and 4 (11.1%) did not receive treatment or were lost to follow-up after recurrence. Patients who underwent CL experienced no significant complications or deaths. The median follow-up time after CL was 64.5 (range, 19-93) months. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and post-recurrence survival (PRS) were higher in the surgical group than in the non-surgical (p<0.001) and no-treatment groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: CL is a technically demanding but safe procedure for locoregionally recurrent stage I NSCLC after sublobar resection. Patients who underwent CL had better OS and PRS than patients who underwent non-surgical treatments or no treatments; however, a larger cohort study and long-term surveillance are necessary.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.49-76
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• 2024

Objectives : The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanism and treatment of the Zangfu warm disease in the Beijiqianjinyaofang. Methods : This study examined the Zangfu warm disease content in the Beijiqianjinyaofang, Shanghanzongbinglun, Saninfang, based on the Neijing explanation of the pathological mechanism. Treatment was analyzed among the three texts in terms of their similarity and difference. Results & Conclusions : 1. Zangfu warm disease is caused by seasonally inappropriate qi, which is infectious, epidemic, and seasonal. 2. While the Qingjinqian disease pattern was explained in terms of the relationship between Shaoyin and Shaoyang, the actual disease pattern happened more in the Taiyang channel, and partly in the Shaoyang channel. For treatment of Fu deficiency pattern, the Chaihudihuangtang was listed in the Qianjinyaofang and the Shanghanzongbinglun, while in the Sanyinfang, the formula was modified to extinguish heat and thin phlegm, while reinforcing healthy qi. 3. The Chimaifei disease pattern was explained in terms of the relationship between Shaoyin and Taiyang that is deeply associated with Wei qi. For treatment of Fu deficiency the Qianjinyaofang and Shanghanzongbinglun used the Shigaodihuangtang, while the Sanyinfang reinforced healthy qi and eliminated pathogenic qi. 4. The Huangrousui disease pattern was explained as being caused by problems in the Taiyin and Yangming, in which the Triple Burner fails to control and manage cold dampness. In treating Zang excessiveness, the Qianjinyaofang and Shanghanzongbinglun used the Xuanshenhanshuishitang, while the Sanyinfang instructed to reinforce healthy qi and eliminate pathogenic qi. In treating Fu deficiency, the Sanyinfang instructed to warm the center and dry dampness, tonifying the Spleen and reinforcing qi. 5. The Baiqili disease pattern was explained within the relationship between Taiyin and Taiyang. In treating Fu deficiency, the Qianjinyaofang and Shanghanzongbinglun used the Shigaoxingrentang, while the Sanyinfang instructed to reinforce healthy qi and eliminate pathogenic qi. In treating Zang excessiveness, the Qianjinyaofang and Shanghanzongbinglun used the Shigaocongbaitang, while the Sanyinfang instructed to reinforce healthy qi and eliminate pathogenic qi. 6. The Heiguwen disease pattern was explained as being caused by stagnation and obstruction in the Triple Burner due to clash between Taiyang and Shaoyin. In treating Zang excessiveness, the Qianjinyaofang and Shanghanzongbinglun used the Kushenshigaotang, while the Sanyinfang instructed to reinforce healthy qi and eliminate pathogenic qi. The Zangfu Warm Disease is a infectious disease concept which is based on the Five Zang that integrates the meridian aspect together with the Six Fu with which there is an external/internal relationship. This concept and treatment could be considered in dealing with COVID-19.