• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.417-423
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• 2007

Serological surveillance programs in animal populations are becoming increasingly important to estimate prevalence of a specific disease and subsequently to document disease-free status in a region or a country. For these purposes, the programs need to be based on both theoretical and economical aspects from the designing phase. From Aujeszky's disease (AD)-eradication program point of view, group of animals (aggregates, herds) not individual animal is the more important sampling unit of concern. In this study the authors therefore attempted to compute an appropriate sample size tailored to a current surveillance program against AD, assuming that the goal of this program is either herd-level prevalence estimation or documentation of AD-freedom. For prevalence estimation, assuming a finite population with imperfect sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of ELISA kit for AD diagnosis, the number of herds present, expected herd prevalence, and desired accuracy for a certain level of confidence, sample size was estimated at herd-level in the first stage and individual animal-level in the second stage. A two-stage sampling design was used to calculate a sample size to indicate AD-freedom. In this instance, the computation was based on the possible detection of a predetermined prevalence at a certain herd-level Se and Sp. This study indicated that the sample size varied with predetermined confidence, tolerance, Se and Sp at herd- and animal-level, and within- and among-herd prevalence. In general, smaller sample size was required to estimate AD prevalence than to document of AD-freedom. Compared to individual-based samples, two-stage sampling strategy requires a larger sample size to show disease-freedom. Statistical considerations including herd-level test characteristics when designing surveillance program also are further discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2010.06c
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• pp.447-451
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• 2010

In this paper, we propose a simple but effective algorithm to increase the speed of Emphysema region classification. Emphysema region classification method based on CT image consumes a lot of time because of the large number of subregions due to the large size of CT image. Some of the sub-regions contain no Emphysema and the classification of these regions is worthless. To speed up the classification process, we create an algorithm to select Emphysema region candidates and only use these candidates in the Emphysema region classification instead of all of the sub-regions. First, the lung region is detected. Then we threshold the lung region and only select the dark pixels because Emphysema only appeared in the dark area of the CT image. Then the thresholded pixels are clustered into a region that called the Emphysema pre-detected region or Emphysema region candidate. This region is then divided into sub-region for the Emphysema region classification. The experimental result shows that Emphysema region classification using predetected Emphysema region decreases the size of lung region which will result in about 84.51% of time reduction in Emphysema region classification.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.301-310
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• 2005

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of mammals and has a great potential for causing severe economic loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and buffalo. FMDV, a member of the Aphthovirus genus in the Picornaviridae family, is a non-enveloped icosahedral virus that contains a positive sense RNA of about 8.2 kb in size. The genome carries one open reading frame consisting of 3 regions: capsid protein coding region P1, replication related protein coding region P2, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase coding region P3. FMDV infects pharynx epithelial cell in the respiratory tract and viral replication is active in lung epithelial cell. Morbidity is extremely high. A FMD outbreak in Korea in 2002 caused severe economic loss. Although intense research is undergoing to develop appropriate drugs to treat FMDV infection, there is no specific therapeutic for controlling FMDV infection. Moreover, there is an increasing demand for the development of vaccine strategies against FMDV infection in many countries. In this report, more effective prevention strategies against FMDV infection were reviewed.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.197-207
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• 1997

To investigate the NS4 region of JEV, NS4 cDNA of K94P05 (JEV strain isolated from Korea in 1994) was amplified by RT-PCR and analyzed by sequencing PCR product. Genomic size of NS4 was 1212bp and nucleotide sequence was compared with that of other JEV strains. Nucleotide homology between JaOAr582 and K94P05 was 91.1% and that between Beijing and K94P05 was 89.8%, respectively. But the nucleotide sequence of E region of JaOAr582 and K94P05 showed 97.0% homology and that of Beijing and K94P05 did 95.8% homology. NS4 protein was expressed as a form of fusion protein by a prokaryotic expression system. The induced fusion product showed a lower molecular weight than predicted size and remained insoluble. The NS4 protein might be cleavaged by E. coli protease. Concluding above results, high hydrophobicity of the NS4 protein supported the fact that this protein played a role as a membrane component and the poor nucleotide sequence conservativity among JEV strains suggested that this region might be important to adapt each viral growth environment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.138-147
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• 2000

Objectives and Method : In this study, I have investigated what kind of primary factors detennine the apoplexy prognosis, and the method of the function assessment about the apoplexy by inquiry into the literature on this subject Results and Conclusions : 1. The primary factors to have an effect upon the appoplexy are : the location of Pungsa; whether five organs ki is existent or not; pulse feeling; tongue condition; whether or not the patient produces stool or urine; for males, the left side; for females, the right side ; whether or not the patient sweats; consciousness; vital signs; and the region and size of disease and brain hernia. 2. MBI is often used because it is considered to be objective, simple, and highly reliable. But its absence of a legal recognition assessment is a major incongruence. 3. Inclusive and standard assessment are key points in the reinforecement by AM of legal recognition assessment, but it takes a lot of time and is not endowed with adding an extra weight and is vague to the division between the communication and social recognition grade. 4. AI is useful and easy to evaluate the mental ability, the capacity for locomotion and the daily activities inclusively.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.422-426
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• 2011

For a national survey in which wide geographic region or an entire country is targeted, multi-stage sampling approach is widely used to overcome the problem of simple random sampling, to consider both herd- and animallevel factors associated with disease occurrence, and to adjust clustering effect of disease in the population in the calculation of sample size. The aim of this study was to establish sample size for estimating bovine tuberculosis (TB) in Korea using stratified two-stage sampling design. The sample size was determined by taking into account the possible clustering of TB-infected animals on individual herds to increase the reliability of survey results. In this study, the country was stratified into nine provinces (administrative unit) and herd, the primary sampling unit, was considered as a cluster. For all analyses, design effect of 2, between-cluster prevalence of 50% to yield maximum sample size, and mean herd size of 65 were assumed due to lack of information available. Using a two-stage sampling scheme, the number of cattle sampled per herd was 65 cattle, regardless of confidence level, prevalence, and mean herd size examined. Number of clusters to be sampled at a 95% level of confidence was estimated to be 296, 74, 33, 19, 12, and 9 for desired precision of 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, and 0.06, respectively. Therefore, the total sample size with a 95% confidence level was 172,872, 43,218, 19,224, 10,818, 6,930, and 4,806 for desired precision ranging from 0.01 to 0.06. The sample size was increased with desired precision and design effect. In a situation where the number of cattle sampled per herd is fixed ranging from 5 to 40 with a 5-head interval, total sample size with a 95% confidence level was estimated to be 6,480, 10,080, 13,770, 17,280, 20.925, 24,570, 28,350, and 31,680, respectively. The percent increase in total sample size resulting from the use of intra-cluster correlation coefficient of 0.3 was 22.2, 32.1, 36.3, 39.6, 41.9, 42.9, 42,2, and 44.3%, respectively in comparison to the use of coefficient of 0.2.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9773-9779
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the prime causes of mortality around the globe, with a significantly rising incidence in the Middle East region in recent decades. Since detection of CRC in the early stages is an important issue, and also since to date there are no comprehensive epidemiologic studies depicting the Middle East region with special attention to the average risk group, further investigation is of significant necessity in this regard. Aim: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the colon in an average risk population. Materials and Methods: A total of 1,208 eligible asymptomatic, average- risk adults older than 40 years of age, referred to Firuzgar Hospotal in the years 2008-2012, were enrolled. They underwent colonoscopy screening and all polypoid lesions were removed and examined by an expert gastrointestinal pathologist. The lesions were classified by size, location, numbers and pathologic findings. Size of lesions was measured objectively by endoscopists. Results: The mean age of participants was $56.5{\pm}9.59$ and 51.6% were male. The overall polyp detection rate was 199/1208 (16.5 %), 26 subjects having non-neoplastic polyps, including hyperplastic lesions, and 173/1208 (14.3%) having neoplastic polyps, of which 26 (2.15%) were advanced neoplasms. The prevalence of colorectal neoplasia was more common among the 50-59 age group. Advanced adenoma was more frequent among the 60-69 age group. The majority of adenomas were detected in the distal colon, but a quarter of advanced adenomas were found in the proximal colon; advance age and male gender was associated with the presence of adenoma. Conclusions: It seems that CRC screening among average-risk population might be recommended in countries such as Iran. However, sigmioidoscopy alone would miss many colorectal adenomas. Furthermore, the 50-59 age group could be considered as an appropriate target population for this purpose in Iran.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.505-507
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• 2011

Purpose: Liposarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma, and usually occurs on the thigh or in the retroperitoneal space, but rarely in the oral region. This report presents a case of liposarcoma of the cheek and includes a review of the literatures. Methods: A 21-year-old woman was admitted with a palpable mass in her cheek of about two years duration, which increased in size gradually initially, but had increased rapidly over the three months. There was no particular pain or tenderness. MRI showed a well-enhanced, well-defined mass, which suspected to be hemangioma. Results: The spherical, well-encapsulated mass was surgically excised. Biopsy results revealed myxoid liposarcoma. FDG PET-CT on the seventh postoperative day, revealed a minimal to mild FDG-uptake soft tissue lesion around the mass defect area without evidence of distant metastasis. The patient is being observed and undergoing radiation therapy. Conclusion: Liposarcoma in the head and neck region is a rare disease, and can be overlooked as a benign tumor without a pathologic diagnosis. Therefore, proper treatment and follow-up are required based on an understanding of this disease.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1716-1721
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• 2021

Chikungunya fever is an arboviral disease caused by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The disease has similar clinical manifestations with other acute febrile illnesses which complicates differential diagnosis in low-resource settings. We aimed to develop a rapid test for CHIKV detection based on the nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay technology. The system consists of a primer set that recognizes the E1 region of the CHIKV genome and test strips in an enclosed cassette which are used to detect amplicons labeled with FITC/biotin. Amplification of the viral genome was done using open-source PCR, a low-cost open-source thermal cycler. Assay performance was evaluated using a panel of RNA isolated from patients' blood with confirmed CHIKV (n = 8) and dengue virus (n = 20) infection. The open-source PCR-NALFIA platform had a limit of detection of 10 RNA copies/ml. The assay had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% (95% CI: 67.56% - 100%) and 100% (95% CI: 83.89% - 100%), respectively, compared to reference standards of any positive virus culture on C6/36 cell lines and/or qRT-PCR. Further evaluation of its performance using a larger sample size may provide important data to extend its usefulness, especially its utilization in the peripheral healthcare facilities with scarce resources and outbreak situations.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2013

Purpose. This study is to find the degree of variations and trends of hospital services utilization for hypertensive disease, and have done the comparative analysis of the factors affecting occurring some variations. For this, this study uses the data for patients-survey and health-survey of a regional society by Korea Institute for Heath and Social Affairs in 2008; The regional units are classified into 160 of medium size medical service areas. Methods. I understand the level of variation by using index of Extremal Quotient(EQ) and Coefficient Variation(CV), and analyze critical factors influencing some differences in hospital services utilization by using multi-regression model. Results. The main results are followed:The first, in case of rate of hospital services utilization according to standarization of sex and age by small area, I find the variations of EQ 5.3 and CV 0.3; In Ho-nam, especially, the variation of high rank of 10 of age shows higher distribution. The second, the results analyzing the factors influencing on hospital services utilization by multi regression model are that a number of bed hospitals is significant positive relationship and EQ-5D of health behavior is significant negative one. Conclusions. To increase equity of hospital services utilization for hypertensive disease, this study requests the appropriate supply management of bed hospitals by region, efficient allocation of resources, and revitalization of the health promotion program.