• Title/Summary/Keyword: Quality of life

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The Clinical Outcome of Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy for the Treatment of Chronic Pulmonary Thromboembolism (만성 폐동맥 색전증 환자에서의 폐동맥 내막절제술의 임상적 결과)

  • Bang, Jeong-Hee;Woo, Jong-Soo;Choi, Pil-Jo;Jo, Gwang-Jo;Park, Kwon-Jae;Kim, Si-Ho;Yie, Kil-Soo
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.43 no.3
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    • pp.254-259
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    • 2010
  • Background: Diagnosing chronic pulmonary embolism at an early stage is difficult because of the patient’s nonspecific symptoms. This condition is not prevalent in Korea, and in fact, there have been only a few case reports on this in the Korean medical literature. We analyzed the surgical outcome of performing pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in patients with chronic pulmonary embolism. Material and Method: The study subjects included those patients who underwent surgery for chronic pulmonary embolism from 1996 to 2008. For making the diagnosis, echocardiography, chest CT and a pulmonary perfusion scan were performed on the patients who complained of chronic dyspnea. Result: Pulmonary endarterectomy was performed as follows: by incision via a mid-sternal approach (7 patients); by incision via a left posterolateral approach (1 patient); using the deep hypothermic circulatory arrest technique (4 patients); under ventricular fibrillation (3 patients); and under cardioplegic arrest (1 patient). The postoperative systolic pulmonary artery blood pressure significantly decreased from a preoperative value of $78.9{\pm}14.5\;mmHg$ to $45.6{\pm}17.6\;mmHg$ postoperatively (p=0.000). The degree of tricuspid regurgitation was less than grade II after surgery. Two patients died early on, including one patient who had persistent pulmonary hypertension without improvement and right heart failure. Conclusion: Patients who have chronic pulmonary embolism are known to have a poor prognosis. However, we think that early surgical treatment along with making the proper diagnosis before the aggravation of right heart failure can help improve the quality of a patient's life.

Detection of HCV-RNA by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Using Biotinylated and Radioiodinated Primers (역전사 중합효소 연쇄반응(RT-PCR)에 의한 HCV-RNA의 검출 : Biotin 및 방사성옥소 표지 Primer로 구성된 Kit의 이용)

  • Ryu, Jin-Sook;Moon, Dae-Hyuk;Cheon, Jun-Hong;Chung, Yoon-Young;Park, Hung-Dong;Chung, Young-Hwa;Lee, Young-Sang
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.220-226
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    • 1994
  • This study was performed to evaluate the clinical applicability of the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR ) kit of HCV-RNA using biotinylated and radioiodinated primers. Study subjects were 118 patients with positive anti-HCV. HCV-RNA in patient's serum was extracted by guanidium thiocyanate method. After first amplification, the product was reamplified by primers labelled with biotin and I-125. The final amplification product was defected by counting the radioactivity after incubation in avidin coated tubes. In 51 samples, the test was repeated for evaluation of reproducibility. This new method was also compared with conventional RT-PCR methods in 34 samples from patients with chronic liver disease. The results were as follows ; 1) HCV-RNA was positive in 85(97%)of 88 patients with chronic liver disease, and in 23 (73%) of 30 patients with normal liver function. 2) In comparison with conventional method, HCV-RNA was detected in 32(94%) of 34 patients with new method, whereas in 27(79%) of the same group with conventional method. 3) Repeated test with new method in 52 samples demonstrated 82% of concordant result. In conclusion, new method with biotinylated and radioiodinated primers was more sensitive than conventional method. However, great care must be taken for quality control because there were considerable interassay variation and possiblity of false positivity and false negativity.

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A Study on the Ecological Indices for the Assessment of the Function and Maturity of Artificial Reefs (인공어초의 기능도와 성숙도 평가를 위한 생태학적 지수에 대한 연구)

  • Yoo, Jae-Won;Hong, Hyun-Pyo;Hwang, Jae-Youn;Lee, Min-Soo;Lee, Yong-Woo;Lee, Chae-Sung;Hwang, Sun-Do
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.8-34
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    • 2014
  • We reviewed foreign evaluation systems based on the macrobenthic and macroalgal communities and developed a system, composed of a set of ecological indices able to evaluate the functionality (FI, Functional Index; estimation of stability and productivity) and maturity (MI, Maturity Index; comparisons with biological parameters of natural reefs) of artificial reefs by comparing the status in the adjacent natural reefs in Korean coastal waters. The evaluation system was applied to natural and artificial reefs/reef-planned areas (natural reefs), established in the 5 marine ranching areas (Bangnyeong-Daechung, Yeonpyung, Taean, Seocheon and Buan) in the west coast of Korea. The FI ranged between 31.6 (Bangnyeong-Daechung) and 72.5% (Buan) and MI did between 53.1 (Seocheon) and 76.9% (Taean) in average. The evaluation of artificial reefs by the two indices, showed the most appropriate status in Taean. The FI between the adjacent artificial and natural reefs were in significant linear relationship ($r^2=0.83$, p=0.01). This indicated the local status of biological community may be critical in determining the functionality of the artificial reefs. We have suggested an integrative but preliminary evaluation system of artificial reefs in this study. The output from the evaluation system may be utilized as a tool for environment/resource managers or policy makers, responsible for effective use of funds and decision making. Given the importance, we need to use the options to enhance and improve the accuracy as follows: (1) continuous validation of the evaluation system and rescaling the criteria of indicators, (2) vigorous utilization of observation and experience through the application and data accumulation and (3) development and testing of brand-new indicators.

Technical Standards and Safety Review of the Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (중.저준위 방사성폐기물 처분시설에 대한 기술기준 및 안전심사)

  • Cheong, Jae-Hak;Lee, Kwan-Hee;Lee, Yun-Keun;Jeong, Chan-Woo;Rho, Byung-Hwan
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.6 no.4
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    • pp.357-368
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    • 2008
  • On July 31, 2008, the Government issued the construction and operation permit for the first low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal facility in the Republic of Korea. In this paper, the fundamental regulatory framework, regulatory requirements and technical standards of the disposal facility are introduced, and the phased review process adopted for evaluation of the safety of the facility is briefly described. The Atomic Energy Act sets forth a stepwise regulatory framework for the whole life-cycle of the disposal facility such as siting, design, construction, operation, closure and institutional control. More detailed regulatory requirements and technical standards are stipulated in the subsequent regulations of the Atomic Energy Act and a series of Notices issued by the Ministry of Eduction, Science and Technology. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, as entrusted by the Ministry under the Atomic Energy Act, conducted safety review on the disposal facility, and evaluated the compliance with relevant criteria in all technical elements(i.e. siting and structural safety, radiological environmental impact, operational safety, systems and components, quality assurance, and total systematic performance assessment, etc.). The overall safety review process can be phased into inception phase, initial review phase, main review phase and completion phase. The review results were reported to and deliberated by the five Sub-committees of the Special Committee on Nuclear Safety, and then reported to the Ministry. The Ministry issued the construction and operation permit of the disposal facility through the deliberation of the review results by the Nuclear Safety Commission. Hereafter, the safety of the repository will be reassured by a series of subsequent regulatory inspections and reviews under the Atomic Energy Act. In addition, the licensee's continuous implementation of the "Safety Promotion Plan" may also enhance the long-term safety of the repository and contribute to build-up the confidence of the safety case.

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The Group Counseling Program for Terminal Cancer Patients and their Family Members in the Seoul National University Hospital (말기 암환자와 가족을 위한 집단상담 프로그램 - 서울대학교병원 경험의 분석-)

  • Lee, Young-Sook;Heo, Dae-Seog;Yun, Young-Ho;Kim, Hyun-Sook;Choi, Kyung-Sook;Yun, Yeo-Jung
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.56-64
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    • 1998
  • Purpose : Seoul National University Hospital developed a group counseling program for the terminal cancer patients and their family members. This program consists of each of doctor, nutritionist, nurse, pharmacist, and social worker to provide them with the information and to enhance their ability to cope with terminal cancer. This research aims to introduce this new program per se, and to appreciate its validity and applicability to the terminal cancer patients and their family members by analyzing the concerns and specific questions of the participants. Methods : The methodological approach employed in this research is 1996 content analysis of the group counseling reports, and interview of the 312 participants. The analysis includes the general characteristics of the subjects, family relationship to the patients, times of attendance to the group session, source of information to the program. Results : The participants consist of 261 family members(84%) and 51 patients(16%). Majority responded to the program with a single-attendance. Diagnosis are mainly lung cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer. The ratio of participants by family members is decreased in the order of spouse, children, daughter-in-law, brothers and sisters, and parents. The source of information to the program is largely through medical staff(69%) as compared with posters in the hospital (26%). The participants are interested primarily in the medical information. Their interests are various, such as pain control, patient care, nutrition, psychosocial problem and etc. Conclusion : This program is characterized largely as a family-supporting program which primarily offers information for terminal cancer. This program is a sort of a hospice program, which maximizes the present quality of living of the terminal cancer patients as long as life continues by encouraging them to live with terminal cancer. Thus, this group program can be employed as an active support network for the patients and their family. In order to develop comprehensive care-giving services, it is required to have 24-hour telephone service, hospice facilities, home care service, and communication between the referral hospitals and the primary care physicians, in particular. Such a development of services is the ultimate goal for improving care. But the immediate goal of the program is to make possible better education for the patients and their family to live with terminal cancer.

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A Study on Home Visiting Hospice Care of the Terminally Ill Patients (가정 호스피스케어환자 방문간호 조사분석)

  • Lee, So-Woo;Lee, Eun-Ok;Park, Hyun-Ae;Oh, Hyo-Sook;Ahn, Hyo-Seop;Huh, Dae-Suk;Yun, Young-Ho;Kim, Dal-Sook;Rho, Yoo-Ja
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.39-46
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    • 1998
  • Purpose : Hospice Care is considered as one of the most perfect solutions for the problems brought up as the number of chronically ill patients are increasing rapidly and most of social welfare oriented countries are seeking the quality of life. Our former studies(1996, 1997) were to find out the current status of the hospice care in Korea by surveying terminally ill patients and their family members as well as medical professionals. The former study was also to conduct the operation research by developing an information service system for training of hospice care teams and volunteers, and hospice patients management. The purpose of this study was that hospice information service system was tested by home visiting hospice care through visiting nurses. Methods : From October 1, 1997 to March 31, 1998, Twenty six terminal cancer patients were included in this study from Seoul National University Hospital and other hospital. Databases and homepage, hospice information service system were designed and developed for the information needed for the hospice care before this study by our research team and this services were available through the internet. Visiting nurses were trained about this system and they visited the patients with PC notebook and provided them hospice care with hospice information system. They collected physical, psychiatric, social data of the subjects at the first visit and during hospice care at home. Results : Sixteen subjects(61.5%) died during the study and the mean survival was 20.7 days. Anorexia(96.2%), immobility(88.5%) and pain(84.6%) were the major symptom in the 26 subjects, Altered nutrition(26.1%) and pain(12.4%) were the most frequent diagnoses in 226 nursing diagnoses of the subjects. Families understood and demanded the hospice care more than patients. And most patients and families didn't demand spiritual or social care. Conclusion : Through this demonstration study, it was found that we have to provide the information of pain management and nutritional support for patients by the nurses and visiting hospice nurse. The information service system needs to be upgraded with information and manpower of spiritual and social care according to the findings.

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Effects of microorganism density and mushroom yields according to the sterilization of casing soils at the cultivation of button mushrooms (복토살균 조건에 따른 양송이 재배과정별 복토내 미생물 밀도 및 수량 특성)

  • Lee, Chan-Jung;Yoo, Young-Mi;Jhune, Chang-Sung;Cheong, Jong-Chun;Moon, Ji-Won;Kong, Won-Sik;Suh, Jang-Sun;Kim, Yong-Gyun;Lee, Byung-Eui;Yoon, Min-Ho
    • Journal of Mushroom
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.220-225
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    • 2014
  • This study was conducted to set the proper sterilization standards of casing soil for the stable production of button mushroom(Agaricus bisporus) from mushroom disease that occurs in infection of casing soil material. Changes of aerobic bacteria are increased as the longer grow-out period and sharply increased after second flushes. Fluorescence Psuedomonas showed high density at high sterilization temperature and $100^{\circ}C$ treatment has extremely high density at 30 min and 60 min in casing 22 days. Density of thermophilic actinomyces is sharply increase from casing with soil and the highest density at 22 days of casing and rapidly decrease after first flushes. Sterilizing temperature of casing soil affects quality and quantity of button mushroom. Treatment of 60 min, 90 min at $80^{\circ}C$ and 30 min at $100^{\circ}C$ produced the highest mushroom yields, especially mushrooms yields of A grads were the highest at treatment of 90 min at $80^{\circ}C$. Treatment of 60min at $100^{\circ}C$ products many yields, however, this treatment has low economic feasibility for its yields. Sterilizing temperature of casing soil has an effect on generating diseases and insect pests. Treatment of 60 min, 90 min at $80^{\circ}C$ and 30 min $100^{\circ}C$ showed lower incidence than the other treatment. Although treatment of 30 min at $100^{\circ}C$ causes low diseases and mushroom fly damage, it has low mushroom yields. Furthermore, although treatment of 60 min at $100^{\circ}C$ has high mushroom yields, it causes high diseases and mushroom fly damage. Therefore the best conditions for the sterilization of casing soils was 60 min and 90 min at $80^{\circ}C$.

Islamist Strategic Changes against U.S. International Security Initiative (미국(美國)의 대외안보전략(對外安保戰略)에 대응한 이슬람Terrorism의 전술적(戰術的) 진화(進化))

  • Choi, Kee-Nam
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.14
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    • pp.517-534
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    • 2007
  • Since the beginning of human society, there have always been struggles and competitions for survival and prosperity, terrorism is not a recent phenomenon, however in modern times it has progressed to reflect the advances in civilization and power structures. At the time of the 9.11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. A., a new world order was in the process of being established after the breakdown of the Cold War era. The attacks drove both the Western and the Islamic worlds into heightened fear of terrorism and war, which threatened the quality of life of the whole mankind. Through two war campaigns against the Islamic world, it seems the U.S. has been pushing its own militaristic security road map of the Greater Middle East democratic initiative, justifying it as a means to retaliate and eradicate the terrorist threats towards themselves. However, with its five-year lopsided victories that cost the nation almost four thousand military casualties, and the war expenses that could match the Vietnam war, the U.S. does not yet seem to be totally emancipated from the fears of terrorism. Terrorism, in itself, is a means of resisting forced rules a form of alternative competition by the weak against the strong, and a way of expressing a dismissive response against dictatorial ideas or orders which allow for no normal changes. Intrinsically, the nature of terrorism is a reaction opposing power logics. Confronted with the absolute military power of the U.S., the Islamic strategies of terrorism have begun to rapidly evolve into a new stage. The new strategies take advantage of their civilization and circumstances, they train and inspire their front-line fighters on the Internet, and issue their orders through the clandestine network of the Al Qaeda operatives. These spontaneously generated strategies have been gained speed among the second, and third Islamic generations, many of whom are now spread throughout western societies. This represents a failure of the power-driven, one-sided overseas security initiatives by the U.S., and is creating a culture of fear and distrust in western societies. It is feared that the U.S. war campaigns have made the clash of religions far worse than before, and may ever lead to global ethnic separations and large-scale population movements. Eventually, it may result in the terrorist groups, enlarged and secretly supported by the huge sums of oil money, driving all mankind into a series of irreparable catastrophes.

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Viscosity and Wettability of Carboxymethylcellulose(CMC) solutions and Artificial Saliva (Carboxymethylcellulose(CMC) 용액과 인공 타액의 점도와 습윤성)

  • Park, Moon-Soo;Kim, Young-Jun
    • Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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    • v.32 no.4
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    • pp.365-373
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    • 2007
  • Destruction of oral soft and hard tissues and resulting problems seriously affect the life quality of xerostomic patients. Although artificial saliva is the only regimen for xerostomic patients with totally abolished salivary glands, currently available artificial salivas give restricted satisfaction to patients. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the development of ideal artificial saliva through comparing viscosity and wettability between CMC solutions and human saliva. Commercially-available CMC is dissolved in simulated salivary buffer (SSB) and distilled deionized water (DDW). Various properties of human whole saliva, human glandular saliva, and a CMC-based saliva substitutes known as Salivart and Moi-Stir were compared with those of CMC solutions. Viscosity was measured with a cone-and-plate digital viscometer at six different shear rates, while wettability on acrylic resin and Co-Cr alloy was determined by the contact angle. The obtained results were as follows: 1. The viscosity of CMC solutions was proportional to CMC concentration, with 0.5% CMC solution displaying similar viscosity to stimulated whole saliva. Where as a decrease in contact angle was found with increasing CMC concentration. 2. The viscosity of human saliva was found to be inversely proportional to shear rate, a non-Newtonian (pseudoplastic) trait of biological fluids. The mean viscosity values at various shear rates increased as follows: stimulated parotid saliva, stimulated whole saliva, unstimulated whole saliva, stimulated submandibular-sublingual saliva. 3. Contact angles of human saliva on the tested solid phases were inversely correlated with viscosity, namely decreasing in the order stimulated parotid saliva, stimulated whole saliva, unstimulated whole saliva, stimulated submandibular-sublingual saliva. 4. Boiled CMC dissolved in SSB (CMC-SSB) had a lower viscosity than CMC-SSB (P < 0.01 at shear rate of $90s^{-1}$). 5. For human saliva, contact angles on acrylic resin were significantly lower than those on Co-Cr alloy (P < 0.01). 6. Comparing CMC solutions with human saliva, the contact angles between acrylic resin and human saliva solutions were significantly lower than those between acrylic resin and CMC solutions, including Salivart and Moi-Stir (P <0.01). The effectiveness of CMC solutions in terms of their rheological properties was objectively confirmed, indicating a vital role for CMC in the development of effective salivary substitutes.

Music Activities for Facilitation of Developmental Domains for Children from Age Three to Six (3-6세 유아의 영역별 발달 촉진을 위한 단계별 음악치료교육 활동 연구)

  • Lee, Su yeon
    • Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.29-62
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    • 2006
  • The early development of an infant is crucial due to the enormous impact it has throughout an infant's life. Therefore, it is important to understand the development process of an infant and provide a high-quality educational environment so that an infant can progress at an innate pace to learn how to exercise, understand, speak, socialize, and empathize as well as having a balanced growth. When educating an infant, joy is a substantial factor in the formation of trust and development of relationship that makes education efficient. Music can be an effective means to offer a fun atmosphere vto the infant in which it stimulates active participation of the infant and development of a variety of dimensions to the infant's development. Also, the purpose of music therapy education is utilizes to plan for the different age groups' level of understanding of music and allow the infant to have a positive experience and develop properly. The purposes of this study are as following: to examine characteristics according to an infant' developmental steps thoroughly, to suggest interventions using music therapy education to stimulate development of an infant, to prove that infants age 3 to 6 obtain the necessary ability and skill through the effective educational therapy through music, and finally to create a music program for educating infants or music therapy. This study has examined theories of the music approach targeting infants age 3 to 6 and made character observations of infant' Motor, Cognition, Communication, Socialization, and Emotions. With the basis of the above theory, the different levels of development has been divided, specific goals has been set up according to the levels, and various music therapy education for infants have been created. The music therapy education activity has been approved by five professionals who are renown in their specific field. They made comments that the development levels were properly divided in the paper. They also commented that the music program is adequate for achieving the goal of each developmental level and it stimulates the different levels of an infant's development. In conclusion, the study reflects that the approach of music therapy education stimulates the different levels of infant development. Music therapists can utilize this music program to help handicapped children identify characteristics of progress and develop at their own ability.

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