• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 2013

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the amino-acid compositions of pharmacopuncture extracts taken from the body and from the tail of Buthus martensii Karsch, which are frequently prescribed in Oriental medicine. Methods: Amino acids in hot water and 70% ethanol extracts taken from the scorpion's whole body and from its tail were screened by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The experiments were performed with linearity, precision and accuracy. Results: The results of the amino-acid-composition analysis showed that the Buthus martensii Karsch extracts contained various amino acids such as aspartic acid, histidine, alanine, tyrosine, and cystine. The amino-acid analysis showed that the hot water extract was more beneficial than the ethanol extract, except for histidine. The amino acids from the tail and the body of the scorpion were compared, and the concentration of aspartic acid in the extract from the scorpion's tail was two times that found in the extract from its body. The results of validation experiments were all satisfactory. Conclusion: Studies on the ingredients in extracts from a scorpion other than buthotoxin may demonstrate that the antiepileptic efficacy, anticancer activity, anti-thrombotic action and analgesic effect are enhanced. Using only the tail of the scorpion when pharmacopuncture is dispensed may be beneficial because the extracts from the tail of the scorpion have higher potency than those from the whole body.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.22 no.2 s.56
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• pp.41-56
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• 2005

For the purpose of extending the Web that is able to understand and process information by machine, Semantic Web shared knowledge in the ontology form. For exquisite query processing, this paper proposes a method to use semantic relations in the ontology as relevance feedback information to query expansion. We made experiment on pharmacy domain. And in order to verify the effectiveness of the semantic relation in the ontology, we compared a keyword based document retrieval system that gives weights by using the frequency information compared with an ontology based document retrieval system that uses relevant information existed in the ontology to a relevant feedback. From the evaluation of the retrieval performance. we knew that search engine used the concepts and relations in ontology for improving precision effectively. Also it used them for the basis of the inference for improvement the retrieval performance.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.4981-4984
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• 2016

Background: Adnexal torsion results in ischemia of structures distal to twisted pedicle and acute onset of pain is responsible for about 3% of all gynecologic emergencies. Ovarian torsion classically occurs in a pathological enlarged ovary, as with cancer, but diagnosis remains a challenge. Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate clinical risk factors predictive of torsion with gangrenous adnexa. Material and methods: A retrospective descriptive study and chart review of surgically proven ovarian torsion/adnexal torsion cases at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Prapokklao Hospital, Chanthaburi, Thailand between January 2011 and December 2015 was conducted. Result: Seventy-eight cases were identified. Mean age at presentation was 35.5 years. The average maximum diameter of the ovarian tumors was 10.8 cm. The percentage of gangrenous ovarian cysts in this study was 46.2 (36/78). The precision to determine the pathological site by patient, physician and ultrasonography was 8.5, 24.2 and 83.3 percent, respectively with statistically significant variation. Conclusion: Ovarian/adnexal torsion remains a challenge condition especially in young nulliparous women. Sophisticated investigation does not guarantee ovary preservation. Combining clinical acumen, appropriate tests and detailed consideration may be the best practice at the present time.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

About 20 chemical elements are nutritionally essential for humans with defined molecular functions. Several essential and nonessential biometals are either functional nutrients with antidiabetic actions or can be diabetogenic. A key question remains whether changes in the metabolism of biometals and biominerals are a consequence of diabetes or are involved in its etiology. Exploration of the roles of zinc (Zn) in this regard is most revealing because 80 years of scientific discoveries link zinc and diabetes. In pancreatic ${\beta}$- and ${\alpha}$-cells, zinc has specific functions in the biochemistry of insulin and glucagon. When zinc ions are secreted during vesicular exocytosis, they have autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine roles. The membrane protein ZnT8 transports zinc ions into the insulin and glucagon granules. ZnT8 has a risk allele that predisposes the majority of humans to developing diabetes. In target tissues, increased availability of zinc enhances the insulin response by inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, which controls the phosphorylation state of the insulin receptor and hence downstream signalling. Inherited diseases of zinc metabolism, environmental exposures that interfere with the control of cellular zinc homeostasis, and nutritional or conditioned zinc deficiency influence the pathobiochemistry of diabetes. Accepting the view that zinc is one of the many factors in multiple gene-environment interactions that cause the functional demise of ${\beta}$-cells generates an immense potential for treating and perhaps preventing diabetes. Personalized nutrition, bioactive food, and pharmaceuticals targeting the control of cellular zinc in precision medicine are among the possible interventions.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 2014

In this paper, we report a novel algorithm based on phase displacement, which supplements conventional TOF methods for distance measurement using an ultrasonic wave. The proposed algorithm roughly measures the distance between the transmission part and the receiving part by using the initial TOF. Thereafter, the precise distance is determined by measuring the phase displacement value between the synchronizing transmission signal and the signal obtained at the receiving end. A distance measurement experiment using a micrometer was performed to verify the accuracy of the ultrasonic wave sensor system. We found that the mean errors from the one adopting the distance measurement algorithm based on phase displacement varied from a minimum of 0.03 mm to a maximum of 0.09 mm. In addition, the standard deviation varied from a minimum of 0.04 mm to a maximum of 0.07 mm, thus giving a precision of ${\pm}0.1$ mm.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 2015

There has been increasing attention on sample size requirements in peer reviewed medical literatures. Accordingly, a statistically-valid sample size determination has been described for a variety of medical situations including diagnostic test accuracy studies. If the sample is too small, the estimate is too inaccurate to be useful. On the other hand, a very large sample size would yield the estimate with more accurate than required but may be costly and inefficient. Choosing the optimal sample size depends on statistical considerations, such as the desired precision, statistical power, confidence level and prevalence of disease, and non-statistical considerations, such as resources, cost and sample availability. In a previous paper (J Vet Clin 2012; 29: 68-77) we briefly described the statistical theory behind sample size calculations and provided practical methods of calculating sample size in different situations for different research purposes. This review describes how to calculate sample sizes when assessing diagnostic test performance such as sensitivity and specificity alone. Also included in this paper are tables and formulae to help researchers for designing diagnostic test studies and calculating sample size in studies evaluating test performance. For complex studies clinicians are encouraged to consult a statistician to help in the design and analysis for an accurate determination of the sample size.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2003

This study was conducted to analyze metal concentration changes following processing steps for crude, remnant after boiling, and decoction of Korea herbal drugs. We measured meta.! concentration from 20 random patients who visited Oriental medical clinics for treatment of several diseases through normal action. The results obtained were as below: First, in the study to acknowledge quality control between Korean Lab and Harvard Lab in the US, 20 equal herbal samples resulted in the same values, so we confirmed the precision of measurement results from both labs. Second, hazardous metal mean concentration in crude, remnant after boiling, and decoction of herbal drugs were $32.5{\mu\textrm{g}}/22.1{\mu\textrm{g}}/8.8{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for As, $0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for Cd, $1.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for Hg and $5416.3{\mu\textrm{g}}/3639.6{\mu\textrm{g}}/1002.6{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for Pb, respectively. These metal concentrations decreased 72.9-100.0% compared to crude status. The same trend was also visible in the other essential elements. From reviewing these results, we could carefully conclude that decoction had the least amount of metal concentration and is the optimal way to intake herbal drugs.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.481-481
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• 2000

We investigated the structure-activity relationships on use of multi-layer neural networks. The relationships are techniques required in developments of medicines. Since many kinds of observations might be adopted on the techniques, we discussed some points between the observations and the properties of multi-layer neural networks. In the structure-activity relationships, an important property is not that standard deviations are nearly equal to zero for observed physiological activity, but prediction ability for unknown medicines. Since we adopted non-linear approximation, the function to represent the activity can be defined by observations; therefore, we believe that the standard deviations have not significance. The function was examined by "leave-one-out" method, which was originally introduced for the multi-regression analysis. In the linear approximation, the examination is significance, however, we believe that the method is inappropriate in case of nonlinear fitting as neural networks; therefore, we derived a new index fer the relationships from the differential of information propagation in the neural network. By using the index, we discussed physiological activity of an anti-cancer medicine, Mitomycine derivatives. The neuro-computing suggests that there is no direction to extend the anti-cancer activity of Mitomycine, which is close to the trend of anticancer developing.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.68-77
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• 2012

Whenever planning a study design or preparing a research proposal it is highly recommended that investigators decide the optimum sample size that is required to yield an outcome of interest with a predetermined level of precision. This is because that, all else being equal, if a study with less than the optimum sample size would not detect the significance of differences in reality, and similarly, if a study with more than the optimum sample size will be costly. For these reasons, the majority of peer reviewed biomedical journals assess the adequacy of sample size requirements. The calculated sample size is used as a target number of samples to be collected to provide an estimate of the parameter with the desired and predetermined level of accuracy, and the sample size is a major determinant of the probability of detecting diseased animals from the population. There is no single method of calculating sample size for any given study design. In this context, the purpose of this article is to provide a collection of formulas and examples for some typical situations likely to be encountered in veterinary clinical practice and to highlight the importance of performing prospective sample size calculations when planning a research. Specifically, this paper is concerned with the basic principle of sample size calculation, and considerations for methodological applications were illustrated for a given data set. Also included in this paper is factors influencing sample size calculations using a statistically valid techniques. Appropriate methods to consider these factors are presented.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.977-980
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• 2011

A new analytical method for measurement of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) in human urine was developed. DOPA from an aqueous solution was converted into an ethoxycarbonyl (EOC) derivative. A tertbutyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) reaction under anhydrous conditions was then attempted for analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode. A new mass spectral data on DOPA as a tri-EOC/mono-TBDMS derivative was built. This method showed good linearity (r ${\geq}$ 0.999), precision (% relative standard deviation = 3.1-9.2), and accuracy (% relative error = -7.2-8.8), with a detection limit of 0.05 ng/mL. This selective and accurate method of DOPA analysis will be useful for biochemical monitoring of various neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease in biological fluids.