• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.18-29
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• 1991

Nuclear transplantation technique is known as the most potential and efficient method for producing a large number of genetically identical animals from a single embryo. The technical development of nuclear transplantation in mammals and its application to the production of cloned animals are described. For the efficient and successful production of cloned embryos by nuclear transplantation, the right selection and micromanipulation of recipient eggs or embryos as capacious recipient cytoplasm, the adequate and benefitlal preparation of multiple totipotent embryonic cells as donor nuclei, and also the fusion technique are very critical. Recent studies approaching to these critical points are introduced and discussed. Up to date, the overall efficiency of production of cloned embryos and offspring in livestock is estimated to be low. Further technical development of nuclear transplantation will enable large-scale production of cloned livestock and in near future the commercial cloning of animals will become a reality.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제61권6호
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• pp.716-722
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• 2018

Objective : Lateral interbody fusion (LIF) is attractive as a less invasive technique to address anterior spinal pathology in the treatment of adult spinal deformity. Its own uses and benefits in treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis are undefined. To investigate the radiographic and clinical outcomes of LIF, and staged LIF and posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for the treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis patients, we analyzed radiographic and clinical outcomes of adult degenerative scoliosis patients who underwent LIF and posterior spinal fusion. Methods : Forty consecutive adult degenerative scoliosis patients who underwent LIF followed by staged PSF at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Long-standing 36" anterior-posterior and lateral radiographs were taken preoperatively, at inter-stage, 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery were reviewed. Outcomes were assessed through the visual analogue scale (VAS), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Results : Forty patients with a mean age of 66.3 (range, 49-79) met inclusion criteria. A mean of 3.8 levels (range, 2-5) were fused using LIF, while a mean of 9.0 levels (range, 3-16) were fused during the posterior approach. The mean time between stages was 1.4 days (range, 1-6). The mean follow-up was 19.6 months. Lumbar lordosis was significantly restored from $36.4^{\circ}$ preoperatively up to $48.9^{\circ}$ (71.4% of total correction) after LIF and $53.9^{\circ}$ after PSF. Lumbar coronal Cobb was prominently improved from $38.6^{\circ}$ preoperatively to $24.1^{\circ}$ (55.8% of total correction) after LIF, $12.6^{\circ}$ after PSF respectively. The mean pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis mismatch was markedly improved from $22.2^{\circ}$ preoperatively to $8.1^{\circ}$ (86.5% of total correction) after LIF, $5.9^{\circ}$ after PSF. Correction of coronal imbalance and sagittal vertebral axis did not reach significance. The rate of perioperative complication was 37.5%. Five patients underwent revision surgery due to wound infection. No major perioperative medical complications occurred. At last follow-up, there were significant improvements in VAS, SF-36 Physical Component Summary and ODI scores. Conclusion : LIF provides significant corrections in the coronal and sagittal plane in the patients with adult degenerative scoliosis. However, LIF combined with staged PSF provides more excellent radiographic and clinical outcomes, with reduced perioperative risk in the treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제53권5호
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• pp.288-292
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• 2013

Objective : Vertebral distraction is routinely performed during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Overdistraction can injure the facet joints and may cause postoperative neck pain consequently. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of distraction force during ACDF. Methods : This study included 24 consecutive patients with single level cervical disc disease undergoing single level ACDF. We measure the maximum torque just before the the arm of the Caspar retractor was suspended by the rachet mechanism by turning the lever on the movable arm using a torque meter. In order to turn the lever using the torque driver, we made a linear groove on the top of the lever. We compared the neck disability index (NDI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores between the high torque group (distraction force>6 $kgf{\cdot}cm$) and the low torque group (distraction force${\leq}6kgf{\cdot}cm$) at routine postoperative intervals of 1, 3, 5 days and 1, 3, 6 months. Results : The VAS scores for posterior neck pain had a linear correlation with torque at postoperative 1st and 3rd days ($y=0.99{\times}-1.1$, $r^2=0.82$; $y=0.77{\times}-0.63$, $r^2=0.73$, respectively). VAS scores for posterior neck pain were lower in the low torque group than in the high torque group on both 1 and 3 days postoperatively ($3.1{\pm}1.3$, $2.6{\pm}1.0$ compared with $6.0{\pm}0.6$, $4.9{\pm}0.8$, p<0.01). However, the difference in NDI scores was not statistically significant in all postoperative periods. Conclusion : Vertebral distraction may cause posterior neck pain in the immediate postoperative days. We recommend not to distract the intervertebral disc space excessively with a force of more than 6.0 $kgf{\cdot}cm$.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제58권4호
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• pp.350-356
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• 2015

Objective : Cases of contralateral radiculopathy after a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with a single cage (unilateral TLIF) had been reported, but the phenomenon has not been explained satisfactorily. The purpose of this study was to determine its incidence, causes, and risk factors. Methods : We did retrospective study with 546 patients who underwent a unilateral TLIF, and used CT and MRI to study the causes of contralateral radicular symptoms that appeared within a week postoperatively. Clinical and radiological results were compared by dividing the patients into the symptomatic group and asymptomatic group. Results : Contralateral symptoms occurred in 32 (5.9%) of the patients underwent unilateral TLIF. The most common cause of contralateral symptoms was a contralateral foraminal stenosis in 22 (68.8%), screw malposition in 4 (12.5%), newly developed herniated nucleus pulposus in 3 (9.3%), hematoma in 1 (3.1%), and unknown origin in 2 patients (6.3%). 16 (50.0%) of the 32 patients received revision surgery. There was no difference in visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index between the two groups at discharge. Both preoperative and postoperative contralateral foraminal areas were significantly smaller, and postoperative segmental angle was significantly greater in the symptomatic group comparing to those of the asymptomatic group (p<0.05). Conclusion : The incidence rate is not likely to be small (5.9%). If unilateral TLIF is performed for cases when preoperative contralateral foraminal stenosis already exists or when a large restoration of segmental lordosis is required, the probability of developing contralateral radiculopathy is increased and caution from the surgeon is needed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제52권4호
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• pp.353-358
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of bone cement-augmented short segment fixation using percutaneous screws for thoracolumbar burst fractures in a background of severe osteoporosis. Methods : Sixteen patients with a single-level thoracolumbar burst fracture (T11-L2) accompanying severe osteoporosis treated from January 2008 to November 2009 were prospectively analyzed. Surgical procedures included postural reduction for 3 days and bone cement augmented percutaneous screw fixation at the fracture level and at adjacent levels without bone fusion. Due to the possibility of implant failure, patients underwent implant removal 12 months after screw fixation. Imaging and clinical findings, including involved vertebral levels, local kyphosis, canal encroachment, and complications were analyzed. Results : Prior to surgery, mean pain score (visual analogue scale) was 8.2 and this decreased to a mean of 2.2 at 12 months after screw fixation. None of the patients complained of pain worsening during the 6 months following implant removal. The percentage of canal compromise at the fractured level improved from a mean of 41.0% to 18.4% at 12 months after surgery. Mean kyphotic angle was improved significantly from $19.8^{\circ}$ before surgery to 7.8 at 12 months after screw fixation. Canal compromise and kyphotic angle improvements were maintained at 6 months after implant removal. No significant neurological deterioration or complications occurred after screw removal in any patient. Conclusion : Bone cement augmented short segment fixation using a percutaneous system can be an alternative to the traditional open technique for the management of selected thoracolumbar burst fractures accompanied by severe osteoporosis.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.163-176
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• 1999

The nuclear transplantation technique is known as the most potential and efficient method for producing large numbers of genetically identical animals from a single embryo and somatic cells. After Dolly was introduced in 1997, many scientists were amazed. A possibility came to a reality that live offspring could be produced with differentiated somatic cells from an adult animal. On the other side, many in the press and the sensationalists focused on the socially, ethically and scientifically unacceptable sides of the technology. In this article, the history, current status and prospects of the technological development of nuclear transplantation in mammals and its application to the production of cloned animals are described. For the efficient and successful production of cloned embryos by nuclear transplantation, the right selection, preactivation and micromanipulation of oocytes as capacious recipient cytoplasm, the adequate and benefitial preparation of multiple totipotent embryonic and somatic cells as donor nuclei, fusion of them and in vitro production of cloned embryos are very critical. Recently the overall efficiency of production of cloned embryos and offspring in livestock has been much improved. Cloning will also be a more efficient, faster and useful way of creating transgenic fetuses for gene therapies, gene pharming, organs for xenotransplantation by preselection and mass production of transgenic embryos and consequently improving the production efficiency in transgenic animals. Further technical development of nuclear transplantation will enable large-scale production of cloned livestock and in near future the commercial cloning of animals will become a reality.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권5호
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• pp.621-629
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• 2022

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) typically contain multiple immunogenic molecules that include antigenic proteins, making them good candidates for vaccine development. In animal models, vaccination with OMVs has been shown to confer protective immune responses against many bacterial diseases. It is possible to genetically introduce heterologous protein antigens to the bacterial host that can then be produced and relocated to reside within the OMVs by means of the host secretion mechanisms. Accordingly, in this study we sought to develop a novel platform for recombinant OMV (rOMV) production in the widely used bacterial expression host species, Escherichia coli. Three different lipoprotein signal peptides including their Lol signals and tether sequences-from Neisseria meningitidis fHbp, Leptospira interrogans LipL32, and Campylobactor jejuni JlpA-were combined upstream to the GFPmut2 model protein, resulting in three recombinant plasmids. Pilot expression studies showed that the fusion between fHbp and GFPmut2 was the only promising construct; therefore, we used this construct for large-scale expression. After inducing recombinant protein expression, the nanovesicles were harvested from cell-free culture media by ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the obtained rOMVs were closed, circular single-membrane particles, 20-200 nm in size. Western blotting confirmed the presence of GFPmut2 in the isolated vesicles. Collectively, although this is a non-optimized, proof-of-concept study, it demonstrates the feasibility of this platform in directing target proteins into the vesicles for OMV-based vaccine development.

• 한국해양공학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.46-51
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• 2007

A multi-purpose environmental monitoring system has been developed as a commercially available standard using the technique of hetero-core spliced fiber optic sensors, for the purposes of monitoring large-scale structures and preserving natural environments. The monitoring system has been tested and evaluated in a possible outdoor condition, in view of the full-scale operation at actual sites to be monitored. Additionally, the developed system in this work conveniently provides us with various options of sensor modules intended for monitoring such physical quantities as displacement, distortion, pressure, binary states, and liquid adhesion. Two channels of optical fiber line were monitored in each channel, three displacement sensor modules were connected in series, in order to examine the performance to a pseudo-cracking experiment in the outdoor situation and to clarify temperature influences an the system, in terms of the coupling of optical connectors and the OTDR stability. The results from the pseudo-cracking experiment agreed with the actual cracks, by means of calculation, based an the detected displacement values and their geometrical arrangement of the used sensor modules. The temperature change, ranging from 10 to $20^{\circ}C$ resulting from the 10-days free running operation, was found to influence the system stability of ${\pm}10{\mu}m$, primarily due to the coupling instability of the used optical connectors. It was found that fusion splicing, rather than the use of connectors, reduced the fluctuation dawn to ${\pm}2{\mu}m$. The specification and performance of various option modules have been demonstrated to show the capability of inspecting various physical quantities by use of the single system, which would be suitable for multi-purpose environmental monitoring.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.61-70
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• 2019

Objective : Corpectomy of the first lumbar vertebra (L1) for the management of different L1 pathologies can be performed using either an anterior or posterior approach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a retroperitoneal extrapleural approach through the twelfth rib for performing L1 corpectomy. Methods : Thirty consecutive patients underwent L1 corpectomy between 2010 and 2016. The retroperitoneal extrapleural approach through the 12th rib was used in all cases to perform single-stage anterior L1 corpectomy, reconstruction and anterior instrumentation, except for in two recurrent cases in which posterior fixation was added. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for pain intensity measurement and ASIA impairment scale for neurological assessment. The mean follow-up period was 14.5 months. Results : The sample included 18 males and 12 females, and the mean age was 40.3 years. Twenty patients (67%) had sensory or motor deficits before the surgery. The pathologies encountered included traumatic fracture in 12 cases, osteoporotic fracture in four cases, tumor in eight cases and spinal infection in the remaining six cases. The surgeries were performed from the left side, except in two cases. There was significant improvement of back pain and radicular pain as recorded by VAS. One patient exhibited postoperative neurological deterioration due to bone graft dislodgement. All patients with deficits at least partially improved after the surgery. During the follow-up, no hardware failures or losses of correction were detected. Conclusion : The retroperitoneal extrapleural approach through the 12th rib is a feasible approach for L1 corpectomy that can combine adequate decompression of the dural sac with effective biomechanical restoration of the compromised anterior loadbearing column. It is associated with less pulmonary complication, no need for chest tube, no abdominal distention and rapid recovery compared with other approaches.

• 한국컴퓨터그래픽스학회논문지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.127-135
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• 2023

조직병리에서 전체 슬라이드 영상의 정확한 분할은 질병 진단과 치료 계획에 매우 중요한 작업이다. 그러나 전체 슬라이드 영상은 크기가 크고 조직의 형태, 염색 및 촬영 조건이 다양하기 때문에 기존의 자동 영상 분할 알고리즘을 항상 적용하는 것은 어렵다. 최근 인간의 전문 지식과 알고리즘을 결합한 대화형 영상 분할 기술의 발전은 전체 슬라이드 영상 분할의 효율 성과 정확성을 개선할 수 있는 가능성을 보여주었다. 그러나 이러한 접근 방식은 동시에 어려운 과제를 제기하기도 했다. 본 논문에서는 다중 해상도 전체 슬라이드 영상을 활용하는 새로운 대화형 분할 방법인 ZoomISEG를 제안한다. 기존의 단일 스케일 방법과의 비교 및 ablation study를 통해 제안된 방법의 효율성과 성능을 입증한다. 실험 결과, 제안된 방법은 사람의 개입을 줄이면서도 최고 해상도 데이터를 사용하는 방식에 필적하는 정확도를 달성함을 확인했다.