• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2013

Radiographic examinations are used to discover and define the type and extent of disease in many clinical situations. Currently, it is common for dental patients to receive dental radiographic examinations on a routine schedule with little variation in spite of different patient signs and symptoms. Such routine scheduling of radiographic examinations may result in unnecessary patient exposure. There is also the possibility of under-utilization of radiography; this can result in inadequate or excessively delayed diagnosis. Patient selection criteria are descriptions of clinical conditions derived from patient signs, symptoms and history that identify patients who are likely to benefit from a particular radiographic examination. It makes possible making individual decisions based on history, clinical examination and risk factors. The radiographic selection criteria of dentistry have been revised in accordance with recent guidelines and peer-reviewed research in USA and Europe, but the studies of these subjects are not sufficient in our nation. In this review article, the relating factors and update necessity of radiographic selection criteria are discussed.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.91-109
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• 2006

This study was conducted to find out factors affecting patient safety management activities at nursing devisions of two university hospitals. The indicators of patient safety activities used in the study were selected from Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture which was developed by The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in the United States. Data were collected from 372 nurses working at inpatient wards at two university hospitals located in Seoul and Won-Ju cities through the self-administered questionnaires, and analyzed using frequency analysis, t-test, correlation, and regression analysis. The result of this study were as follows. First, The mean of patient safety management activities was 3.41 which was a little bit higher than the average level. The mean of communication within the ward was the highest, whereas that of patient safety management culture was the lowest. Second, there were significant differences in the perception of nurses on patient safety management activities in terms of the educational background, length of employment, and work hours per week. Third, three variables of communication within the unit, attitude of top management, and attitude of nurses have significant positive effects on patient safety management activities. Fourth, 37.4% of the variation in the patient safety management activities was explained by the study variables. In conclusion, hospital administration and nursing managers should make an effort to learn the knowledge of patient safety program, show their deep interest on the patient safety to the employees and motivate them to communicate effectively each other within the work unit to develop a good patient safety culture and system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.90-93
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• 2002

In particle radiotherapy, a shape of the beam to conform the irradiation field is statically defined by the compensator, collimator and potal devices at the outside of the patient body. However the target such as lung or liver cancer moves along with respiration. This increases the irradiated volume of normal tissue. Prior discussions about organ motions along with respiration have been mainly focused on inferior-superior movement that was usually perpendicular to beam axis. On the other hand, the change of the target depth along the beam axis is very important especially in particle radiotherapy, because the range end of beam (Bragg peak) is so sharp as to be matched to distal edge of the target. In treatment planning, the range of the particle beam inside the body is calculated using a calibration curve relating CT number and water equivalent path length (WEL) to correct the inhomogeneities of tissues. The variation in CT number along the beam path would cause the uncertainties of range calculation at treatment planning for particle radiotherapy. To estimate the uncertainties of the range calculation associated with patient breathing, we proposed the method using sequential CT images with respiration waveform, and analyzed organ motions and WELs at patients that had lung or liver cancer. The variation of the depth along the beam path was presented in WEL rather than geometrical length. In analyzed cases, WELs around the diaphragm were remarkably changed depending on the respiration, and the magnitude of these WEL variations was almost comparable to inferior-superior movement of diaphragm. The variation of WEL around the lung was influenced by heartbeat.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 2022

Purpose: This study utilizes the NEDIS (National Emergency Department Information System) database to suggest a predictive model for snakebite and envenomation in Korea by analyzing the geographical distribution and seasonal variation of snakebite patients visiting the ER. Methods: This was a retrospective study on snakebite patients visiting the ER using the NEDIS database from January 2014 to December 2019. The subjects include patients with the KCD (Korea Standard Classification of Disease) disease code T63.0 (Toxic effect of contact with snake venom). Geographical location, patient gender, patient age, date of ER visit, treatment during the ER stay, and disposition were recorded to analyze the geographical distribution and seasonal variation of snakebite patients in Korea. Results: A total of 12,521 patients were evaluated in this study (7,170 males, 54.9%; 5,351 females, 40.9%). The average age was 58.5±17.5 years. In all, 7,644 patients were admitted with an average admission time of 5.04±4.7 days, and 2 patients expired while admitted. The geographical distribution was Gyeongsang 3,370 (26.9%), Cheonra 2,692 (21.5%), Chungcheong 2,667 (21.3%), Seoul Capital area 1,999 (16.0%), Kangwon 1,457 (11.6%), and Jeju 336 (2.7%). The seasonal variation showed insignificant incidences in winter and higher severity in spring and summer than in fall: winter 27 (0.2%), spring 2,268 (18.1%), summer 6,847 (54.7%), and fall 3,380 (27.0%). Conclusion: Patients presenting with snakebites and envenomation in the emergency room were most common in the Gyeongsang area and during summer. The simple seasonal model predicted that 436 snakebites and 438 envenomation cases occurred in July and August. The results of this study can be applied to suitably distribute and stock antivenom. Appropriate policies can be formed to care for snakebite patients in Korea.

• Korean journal of medical education
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.327-337
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• 2018

Purpose: Patient education is a dynamic and continuous process that should be implemented during the entire time of hospital stay and even afterward. Studies have shown the typically poor quality of patient education in Iran and its failure to convey the required knowledge and skills to patients. The purpose of this study was to survey the experience of nursing students in regard to the challenges of patient education in hospitals. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the conventional qualitative content analysis approach on a sample of 21 undergraduate nursing students (4th semester and beyond), which was drawn from the Qom Nursing and Midwifery School through purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted over a period of 45 to 75 minutes, and were analyzed using the conventional qualitative content analysis. Results: Results were derived from the experiences of 21 nursing students (nine males, 12 females) about the research subject. The primary themes identified in the study were the student-related, patient-related, instructor-related, education environment-related, and curriculum-related barriers to patient educations. Conclusion: Participants believed that patient education in Iranian hospitals is faced with many challenges. Nursing instructors and curriculum planners should ensure more emphasis on patient education at the initial semesters of nursing education curriculum and make sure that it is included in the evaluation of students. Hospital officials should provide a dedicated education environment with suitable facilities, tools, and atmosphere for patient education. Also, special education programs need to be developed for less educated patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.223-229
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• 2005

Purpose: In this work we designed and made MPBP(Multi Purpose Brachytherapy Phantom). The MPBP enables one to reproduce the same patient set-up in MPBP as the treatment of the patient and we tried to get an exact analysis of rectal doses in the phantom without need of in-vivo dosimetry. Materials and Methods: Dose measurements were tried at a point of rectum 1, the reference point of rectum, with a diode detector for 4 patients treated with tandem and ovoid for a brachytherapy of a cervix cancer. Total 20 times of rectal dose measurements were made with 5 times a patient. The set-up variation of the diode detector was analyzed. The same patient set-ups were reproduced in self-made MPBP and then rectal doses were measured with TLD. Results: The measurement results of the diode detector showed that the set-up variation of the diode detector was the maximum $11.25{\pm}0.95mm$ in the y-direction for Patient 1 and the maximum $9.90{\pm}4.50mm,\;20.85{\pm}4.50mm,\;and\;19.15{\pm}3.33mm$ in the z-direction for Patient 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Un analyzing the degree of variation in 3 directions the more variation was showed in the z-direction than x- and y-direction except Patient 1. The results of TLD measurements in MPBP showed the relative maximum error of 8.6% and 7.7% at a point of rectum 1 for Patient 1 and 4, respectively and 1.7% and 1.2% for Patient 2 and 3, respectively. The doses measured at R1 and R2 were higher than those calculated except R point of Patient 2. this can be thought to related to the algorithm of dose calculation, whcih corrects for air and water but is guessed not to consider the correction for the scattered rays, but by considering the self-error (${\pm}5%$) TLD has the relative error of values measured and calculated was analyzed to be in a good agreement within 15%. Conclusion: The reproducibility of dose measurements under the same condition as the treatment could be achieved owing to the self-made MPMP and the dose at the point of interest could be analyzed accurately. If a treatment is peformed after achieving dose optimization using the data obtained in the phantom, dose will be able to be minimized to important organs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2013

Taeniasis is prevalent in all regions of Thailand, except the South. Infections were more frequently found in males than females of any age from 7-83 years. Taenia saginata is the most common species throughout the country. Taenia asiatica was reported only in the province of Kanchanaburi in the Central region. Co-infections, with Taenia solium and T. asiatica or T. solium and T. saginata, were found. Hybridization between T. asiatica and T. saginata is evidence that co-infection is never found between these 2 species. Finding more than 1 worm in a single patient was not entirely rare. Genetic variation was found without correlation to its geographic distribution in T. saginata, whereas no variation was found in T. asiatica.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.10b
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• pp.376-378
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• 2005

In this study, we have evaluated and classified arthritic pathology using the acoustical analysis of knee joint sounds. Six normal subjects and 11 patients with knee problems were enrolled. Patients were divided into the 1st patient group which required an orthopeadic surgery and the 2nd patient group of osteoarthritis. During sitting and standing periods, subjects' active knee flexion and extension were monitored. Fundamental frequency, mean amplitude of pitch, jitter and shimmer were analyzed according to the position and the joint angle. The result showed that the fundamental frequency of the 2nd patient group and standing position was higher than the others, and that the pitch of sounds changed unstably.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.187-194
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• 2024

For precise cardiac diagnostics and treatment, we introduce a novel method for patient-specific mapping between myocardial and coronary anatomy, leveraging local variations in myocardial thickness. This complex system integrates and automates multiple sophisticated components, including left ventricle segmentation, myocardium segmentation, long-axis estimation, coronary artery tracking, and advanced geodesic Voronoi distance mapping. It meticulously accounts for variations in myocardial thickness and precisely delineates the boundaries between coronary territories according to the conventional 17-segment myocardial model. Each phase of the system provides a step-by-step approach to automate coronary artery mapping onto the myocardium. This innovative method promises to transform cardiac imaging by offering highly precise, automated, and patient-specific analyses, potentially enhancing the accuracy of diagnoses and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for various cardiac conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.450-455
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• 2008

A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) is a small genetic change or variation that can occur within a DNA sequence. It's the difference of one base at specific base pair position. SNP variation occurs when a single nucleotide, such as an A, replaces one of the other three nucleotide letters-C, G, or T. On average, SNP occur in the human population more than 1 percent of the time. They occur once in every 300 nucleotides on average, which means there are roughly 10 million SNPs in the human genome. Because SNPs occur frequently throughout the genome and tend to be relatively stable genetically, they serve as excellent biological markers. They can help scientists locate genes that are associated with disease such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes. They can also be used to track the inheritance of disease genes within families. SNPs may also be associated with absorbance and clearance of therapeutic agents. In the future, the most appropriate drug for an individual could be determined in advance of treatment by analyzing a patient's SNP profile. This pharmacogenetic strategy heralds an era in which the choice of drugs for a particular patient will be based on evidence rather than trial and error (so called "personalized medicine").