• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.406-409
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• 2018

Aortocaval fistula (ACF) occurs in <1% of all abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), and in 3% to 7% of all ruptured AAAs. The triad of clinical findings of AAA with ACF are abdominal pain, abdominal machinery bruit, and a pulsating abdominal mass. Other findings include pelvic venous hypertension (hematuria, oliguria, scrotal edema), lower-limb edema with or without arterial insufficiency or venous thrombus, shock, congestive heart failure, and cardiac arrest. Surgery is the main treatment modality. We report successful surgical treatment in a patient with a ruptured AAA with ACF who presented with cardiogenic shock.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.439-446
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• 2008

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of the left ventricular (LV) systolic function, the LV dimension and the LV mass with the QT dispersion in patients with stable angina, and we also wanted to compare this relationship between patients with and without significant coronary stenosis on coronary angiography. Material and Method: 174 patients complained of typical angina and they had no associated ST segment or cardiac enzyme abnormalities. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the results of coronary angiography: the patients with angiographic coronary stenosis ${\geq}50%$ made up group I (n=101), and the patients with angiographic coronary stenosis <50% made up group II (n=73). An echocardiogram for assessing the LV ejection fraction (EF), the LV dimension and the LV mass and a 12.lead electrocardiogram for assessing the QT dispersion were performed before the coronary angiography. Result: The QT dispersion was significantly greater in group I than that in group II (39.8 ms vs. 33.3 ms; p<0.05). For all the patients, all the parameters of LV dimension and LV mass had statistically positive correlation to the QT dispersion, but the LV mass was the only independently significant parameter that was correlated with the increased QT dispersion (p<0.05). For group I, none of the echocardiographic parameters had significant correlation with the QT dispersion. However, the LV dimension and LV mass had significantly positive correlation with the QT dispersion, and the LV mass was also the only independently significant parameter that was correlated with increased QT dispersion in group II (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a significantly positive correlation of the QT dispersion to the LV dimension and the LV mass in patients with stable angina. These findings are present only in patients without significant coronary stenosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.340-344
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• 2011

Purpose: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been considered a biochemical marker for myocarditis in Kawasaki disease. We performed this study to determine its quantitative significance. Methods: We attempted to correlate log-transformed BNP concentrations (log-BNP) and clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic variables in 81 children with Kawasaki disease. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the variables independently associated with log-BNP concentration. Results: Serum C-reactive protein level (P<0.0001), serum alanine aminotransferase concentration (P =0.0032), white blood cell count (P=0.0030), and left ventricular mass index (P=0.0024) were positively related with log-BNP, and hemoglobin level (P<0.0001), serum albumin level (P<0.0001), $Na^+$ concentrations (P<0.0001), left ventricular fractional shortening (P=0.0080), and peak early diastolic tissue velocity of the left ventricular basal lateral segment (P=0.0045) were negatively related to the log-BNP concentration. Multiple regression analysis showed that serum albumin concentration ($R_2$=0.31, P=0.0098) and left ventricular mass index ($R_2$=0.09, P=0.0004) were significantly associated with the log-BNP concentration. Conclusion: Elevated BNP levels during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease may be attributable to cardiac dysfunction associated with the increase in left ventricular mass, and log-BNP concentration may be a quantitative biochemical marker of myocarditis in Kawasaki disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.4
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• pp.990-995
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• 2020

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an uncommon primary immune deficiency caused by phagocytes defective in oxygen metabolite production. It results in recurrent bacterial or fungal infections. Herein, we present a case of CGD with a large pulmonary granuloma in a neonate and review the imaging findings. The patient was a 24-day-old neonate admitted to the hospital with fever. A round opacified lesion was identified on the chest radiograph. Subsequent CT and MRI revealed a round mass with heterogeneous enhancement in the right lower lobe. There were foci of diffusion restriction in the mass. Surgical biopsy of the mass revealed chronic granuloma. Finally, the neonate was diagnosed with CGD caused by mutation of the gp91^phox gene. Herein, we present the clinical and imaging findings of this unusual case of CGD.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1127-1133
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• 2011

Exercise has been shown to positively influence quality of life for elderly men with a wide variety of medical illnesses. Tai chi exercise, a slow and graceful form of exercise and meditation, has especially been offered as the ideal exercise for elderly men with diverse conditions, such as people suffering from chronic heart failure or breast cancer survivors. In one recent study, Tai Chi was found to improve exercise capacity, sleep stability, and quality of life in heart failure patients including elderly men. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of 16 weeks of Tai Chi exercise (3 times/week, 60 min/trial, 40-50% HRR) on physical and physiological changes. Sixty four healthy volunteers without any particular disease between the ages of 65 and 79 years participated in the study. The results were as follows; Significant changes of cardiac endurance, strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and balance were observed following 16 weeks of Tai Chi exercise (p<0.05). In addition, significant changes of diastolic blood pressure, body fat and fat-free mass were observed following 16 weeks of Tai Chi exercise (p<0.05). These findings suggest that a brief period of Tai Chi exercise is beneficial, particularly to elderly men. It is especially beneficial for body composition, and physical fitness factors such as cardiopulmonary endurance, muscle endurance, flexibility, and balance. Further study is needed in this area for specific disease patients.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.290-299
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• 2013

This study included 198 patients who underwent prospectively electrocardiogram-triggered high-pitch spiral mode(FLASH mode) in cardiac CT for health check: 123 patients who underwent manual exposure control(Group A) and 75 patients who underwent automatic exposure control(Group B). Patients were classified according to BMI grades: Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4. Radiation dose, objective and subjective image quality between two groups were compared. In Group B, tube voltage were significantly decreased in all BMI grades. Both $CTDI_{vol}$ and effective dose were significantly reduced in the BMI Grade 1, 3, and 4 whereas they were slightly reduced in the Grade 2(p>0.05), SNR was significantly decreased in the Grade 1 and increased in the Grade 3(p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the Grade 2, 4 between the two groups(p>0.05). CNR was significantly decreased in the Grade 1(p<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the Grade 2, 3, 4 between the two groups(p>0.05). The subjective image quality showed no significant difference in all BMI Grades between the two groups(p>0.05). Automatic exposure control can lead to a significant reduction of radiation exposure dose without degradation of subjective image quality.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.142-152
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• 2019

This study aimed to explore the association between obesity index and heart rate variability (HRV) in college-aged male smokers. A total of 85 male college students (> 10 cigarettes per day for at least 3 years) were participated in this study. According to a standardized protocol, body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (%BF), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were taken as obesity indices. Resting r-r interval was monitored for HRV analysis as an indicator of cardiac autonomic regulation. Compared with low WHR subjects, high WHR subjects had significantly lower values of rMSSD, pNN50, HF, and SD1, suggesting decreased parasympathetic activity. No such differences in LF/HF ratio were found between the WHR-based subgroups. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that obesity indices of WC, WHR, and %BF were significantly associated with rMSSD, pNN50, HF, and SD1, with a tendency for correlation coefficient to be higher with WHR than with WC or %BF. No significant association was found between BMI and HRV parameters indicative of parasympathetic activity. This study suggest that central obesity is significantly associated with decrease in parasympathetic activation, independent of BMI as an indicator of obesity, in male college smokers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.54-69
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• 2022

Early detection of potential asymptomatic coronary artery disease is very important, as patients with sudden cardiac death often do not show symptoms such as chest pain or motor dyspnea. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) has long been unjustified as a screening tool for asymptomatic patients because of the risks posed by radiation exposure. However, there are still various opinions regarding the usefulness of CCTA for screening for coronary artery disease (CAD) in asymptomatic healthy individuals or patients. This review investigated the usefulness of coronary artery calcium score and CCTA as screening tests for CAD in asymptomatic healthy individuals or patients through various literature reviews. With the development of CT technology, recent studies have been conducted in asymptomatic CAD patients with a reduced radiation dose of less than 1 mSv. A total of 2.6% of asymptomatic subjects on CCTA found significant CAD over 70%, and it was concluded that screening CCTA for CAD showed prognostic power in predicting the future occurrence of CAD in asymptomatic people. However, after the completion of the current NIH SCOT-HEART 2 study, it may be possible to determine whether CCTA is appropriate as a screening tool for CAD in asymptomatic healthy individuals.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.688-699
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• 2023

We set up this study to understand the underlying mechanisms of reduced ceramides on immune cells in acute rejection (AR). The concentrations of ceramides and sphingomyelins were measured in the sera from hepatic transplant patients, skin graft mice and hepatocyte transplant mice by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Serum concentrations of C24 ceramide, C24:1 ceramide, C16:0 sphingomyelin, and C18:1 sphingomyelin were lower in liver transplantation (LT) recipients with than without AR. Comparisons with the results of LT patients with infection and cardiac transplant patients with cardiac allograft vasculopathy in humans and in mouse skin graft and hepatocyte transplant models suggested that the reduced C24 and C24:1 ceramides were specifically involved in AR. A ceramide synthase inhibitor, fumonisin B₁ exacerbated allogeneic immune responses in vitro and in vivo, and reduced tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDCs), while increased P3-like plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in the draining lymph nodes from allogeneic skin graft mice. The results of mixed lymphocyte reactions with ceranib-2, an inhibitor of ceramidase, and C24 ceramide also support that increasing ceramide concentrations could benefit transplant recipients with AR. The results suggest increasing ceramides as novel therapeutic target for AR, where reduced ceramides were associated with the changes in DC subsets, in particular tDCs.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.252-259
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• 2011

To identify the effects of the application of the adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) technique in combination with the other two factors of body mass Index (BMI) and tube potential on radiation dose in cardiac CT. The patient receiving operation the cardiac CT examination was divided four groups into according to kVp.[A group(n=20), Non-ASIR, BMI < 25, 100 kVp; B group(n=20), Non-ASIR, BMI > 25, 120 kVp; C group(n=20), 40% ASIR BMI < 25, 100 kVp; D group(n=20), 40% ASIR, BMI > 25, 120 kVp] After setting up the region of interest in the main artery central part and right coronary artery and left anterior descending artery, the CT number was measured and an average and standard deviation were analyzed. There were A group and the difference which the image noise notes statistically between C. And A group was high so that the noise could note than C group (group A, 494 ${\pm}$ 32 HU; group C, 482 ${\pm}$ 48 HU: P<0.05) In addition, there were B group and the difference noted statistically between D. And B group was high so that the noise could note than D group (group B, 510 ${\pm}$ 45 HU; group D, 480 ${\pm}$ 82 HU: P<0.05). In the qualitative analysis of an image, there was no difference (p>0.05) which a group, B group, C group, and D as to average, A group 4.13${\pm}$0.2, B group 4.18${\pm}$0.1, and C group 4.1${\pm}$0.2 and D group note statistically altogether with 4.15${\pm}$0.1 as a result of making the clinical evaluation according to the coronary artery segments. And the inappropriate image was shown to the diagnosis in all groups. As to the radiation dose, a group 8.6${\pm}$0.9 and B group 14.9${\pm}$0.4 and C group 5.8${\pm}$0.5 and D group are 10.1${\pm}$0.6 mSv.