• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2006

Purpose : Bony strength is dependent on bone mass and bony structure. So this study was designed to investigate the relationship between the bone mass and bony trabecular characteristics. Subjects and Methods : Study subjects were 51 females (average age 68.6 years) and 20 males (average age 66.4 years). Bone mineral density (BMD, $grams/cm^2$) of proximal femur was measured by a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Regions of interest (ROIs) were selected from the digitized radiographs of proximal femur. A customized computer program processed morphologic operations (MO) of ROIs. 44 skeletal variables of MO were calculated from ROIs on the Ward's triangle and greater trochanter of femur. WHO BMD classes were predicted by MO variables of the same ROI. Classification and Regression Tree analysis was used for calculating weighted kappa values, sensitivity and specificity of MO. Results : The discriminating factors of morphologic operation were branch point, branch point [per cm sq]. Age also played important role in distinguishing osteoporotic classes. The sensitivity of MO at Ward's triangle and Greater Trochanter was 91.8%, 65.6%, respectively. The specificity of MO was 100% at Ward's triangle and Greater Trochanter. Conclusion : Bony trabecular characteristics obtained using radiological bone morphometric analysis seem to be related to bone mass.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to determine whether electroacupuncture(EA) is effective in reducing pain on the severe ankle sprain classified as grade 3 in rats. Methods : The severe(grade 3) ankle sprain model was induced surgically by ankle ligament injury(the anterior talofibular, the calcaneofibular and the posterior talofibular) in the Sprague-Dawley rats(180~250 g). The effects of EA on weight bearing forces(WBR) of the affected foot were examined in a rat model of ankle sprain. EA was applied to either SI6, ST37, GB34, GB39 or GB42 acupoints by trains of electrical pulses(2 Hz, 1 ms pulse width, 2 mA intensity) for 15 min. Results : Cutting of the lateral ankle ligament complex produced the severe ankle sprain symptoms as grade 3. EA of the contralateral SI6 resulted in more analgesic effect than one of ipsilateral SI6 even though there was significant effect. EA of the ipsilateral GB34 and GB39 produced potent analgesic effects on the surgical ankle sprained pain behaviors. However, there were no significant analgesic effects in the contralateral GB34 and GB39 EA groups. In addition, both side of ST37 and GB42 did not result in analgesic effect on the surgical ankle sprained rat. Conclusions : The data suggest that EA induced analgesia shows point specificity on the severe ankle sprained pain model classified as grade 3.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.281-288
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• 2022

Malaria continues to be one of the most crucial infectious burdens in endemic areas worldwide, as well as for travelers visiting malaria transmission regions. It has been reported that 8-aminoquinolines are effective against the Plasmodium species, particularly primaquine, for anti-hypnozoite therapy in P. vivax malaria. However, primaquine causes acute hemolytic anemia in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Therefore, G6PD deficiency testing should precede hypnozoite elimination with 8-aminoquinoline. Several point-of-care devices have been developed to detect G6PD deficiency. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of a novel, quantitative G6PD diagnostics based on a metagenomic blue fluorescent protein (mBFP). We comparatively evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the G6PD diagnostic modality with standard methods using 120 human whole blood samples. The G6PD deficiency was spectrophotometrically confirmed. The performance of the G6PD quantitative test kit was compared with that of a licensed control medical device, the G6PD strip. The G6PD quantitative test kit had a sensitivity of 95% (95% confidence interval (CI): 89.3-100%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 94.3-100%). This study shows that the novel diagnostic G6PD quantitative test kit could be a cost-effective and time-efficient, and universally mandated screening tool for G6PD deficiency.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.343-346
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• 2012

Two methods of identifying smokers with high nicotine dependence, the heaviness of smoking index (HSI) and number of cigarettes per day (CPD) were compared with the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND). The HSI, CPD and the FTND were administered to 316 adult Malaysian male, daily smokers aged between 25-64 years old in the Malaysian NCD Surveillance-1 Survey using a two-stage stratified random sampling of enumeration blocks and living quarters, via an interview based on a validated questionnaire. The cut-off point for classification of high nicotine dependence on the HSI was a score of four or higher, and for the heavy smoking category, smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. Classification using each method was compared with classification by the FTND (score of six or more) as the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity and kappa statistics for concordance between both measures and the FTND were evaluated. The HSI gave a similar prevalence rate of high nicotine dependence as the FTND. There was substantial agreement between the HSI and the FTND (kappa=0.63.), with moderate sensitivity (69.8%) and high specificity (92.5%). However, prevalence of high nicotine dependence using the CPD was 7% lower than the FTND. The heavy smoking category also showed fair agreement with the FTND (kappa=0.45) and moderate sensitivity (67.0%), but specificity was high (86.9%). The findings indicate that the HSI can be used as an alternative to the FTND in screening for high nicotine dependence among daily smokers in large population-based studies, while CPD may not be a suitable alternative to the FTND.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.302-314
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• 2011

Purpose: This study aimed to validate instruments to classify the frailty of Korean elderly people in community. Methods: For this study, 632 elders were selected from community-based elderly houses and home visiting registries, and data on frailty were collected using three instruments during November, 2008. The Korean Frail Scale (KFS) was composed of 10 domains with the maximum score of 20. The Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS) had 10 domains with the maximum score of 17. The 25_Japan Frail Scale (25_JFS) was composed of 6 domains with the maximum score of 25. Internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's ${\alpha}$. Sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of ROC were measured to see validity with long.term care insurance grade as a gold standard. Results: The Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ was .72 for KFS, .55 for EFS, and .80 for 25_JFS. Sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 70.0%, 83.2%, and .83, respectively, at cutting point 10.5 for the KFS, 50.0%, 80.9%, and .66, respectively, at 8.5 for EFS, and 80.0%, 85.9%, and .86, respectively, at 12.5 for 25_JFS. Conclusion: KFS and three JFS showed favorable internal consistency and predictive validity. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to confirm predictive validity.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the diagnosis of incipient furcation involvement with periapical radiography (PR) and 2 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging protocols, and to test metal artifact interference. Materials and Methods: Mandibular second molars in 10 macerated pig mandibles were divided into those that showed no furcation involvement and those with lesions in the furcation area. Exams using PR and 2 different CBCT imaging protocols were performed with and without a metallic post. Each image was analyzed twice by 2 observers who rated the absence or presence of furcation involvement according to a 5-point scale. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the observations. Results: The accuracy of the CBCT imaging protocols ranged from 67.5% to 82.5% in the images obtained with a metallic post and from 72.5% to 80% in those without a metallic post. The accuracy of PR ranged from 37.5% to 55% in the images with a metallic post and from 42.5% to 62.5% in those without a metallic post. The area under the ROC curve values for the CBCT imaging protocols ranged from 0.813 to 0.802, and for PR ranged from 0.503 to 0.448. Conclusion: Both CBCT imaging protocols showed higher accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity than PR in the detection of incipient furcation involvement. Based on these results, CBCT may be considered a reliable tool for detecting incipient furcation involvement following a clinical periodontal exam, even in the presence of a metallic post.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1041-1046
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• 2022

Nucleoside deoxyribosyltransferase (NDT) is an enzyme that replaces the purine or pyrimidine base of 2'-deoxyribonucleoside. This enzyme is generally used in the nucleotide salvage pathway in vivo and synthesizes many nucleoside analogs in vitro for various biotechnological purposes. Since NDT is known to exhibit relatively low reactivity toward nucleoside analogs such as 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxynucleoside, it is necessary to develop an enhanced NDT mutant enzyme suitable for nucleoside analogs. In this study, molecular evolution strategy via error-prone PCR was performed with ndt gene derived from Lactobacillus leichmannii as a template to obtain an engineered NDT with higher substrate specificity to 2FDU (2'-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine). A mutant library of 214 ndt genes with different sequences was obtained and performed for the conversion of 2FDU to 2FDA (2'-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine). The E. coli containing a mutant NDT, named NDT^L59Q, showed 1.7-fold (at 40℃) and 4.4-fold (at 50℃) higher 2FDU-to-2FDA conversions compared to the NDT^WT, respectively. Subsequently, both NDT^WT and NDT^L59Q enzymes were over-expressed and purified using a His-tag system in E. coli. Characterization and enzyme kinetics revealed that the NDT^L59Q mutant enzyme containing a single point mutation of leucine to glutamine at the 59^th position exhibited superior thermal stability with enhanced substrate specificity to 2FDU.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.3
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• pp.226-236
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• 2021

Background: Although the Quidel Sofia rapid influenza fluorescent immunoassay (FIA) is widely used to identify influenza A and B, the diagnostic accuracy of this test remains unclear. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of this test compared to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and a hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic curve (HSROC) of this test for identifying influenza A and B were determined using meta-analysis. A sensitivity subgroup analysis was performed to identify potential sources of heterogeneity within selected studies. Results: We identified 17 studies involving 8,334 patients. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of the Quidel Sofia rapid influenza FIA for identifying influenza A were 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.83), 0.99 (95% CI, 0.98-0.99), and 251.26 (95% CI, 139.39-452.89), respectively. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of this test for identifying influenza B were 0.72 (95% CI, 0.60-0.82), 0.98 (95% CI, 0.96-0.99), and 140.20 (95% CI, 55.92-351.54), respectively. The area under the HSROC for this test for identifying influenza A was similar to that for identifying influenza B. Age was considered a probable source of heterogeneity. Conclusion: Pooled sensitivities of the Quidel Sofia rapid influenza FIA for identifying influenza A and B did not quite meet the target level (≥80%). Thus, caution is needed when interpreting data of this study due to substantial betweenstudy heterogeneity.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.270-276
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the Edmonson psychiatric fall risk assessment tool (EPFRAT) for psychiatric inpatients. Methods: Data from retrospective study were collected from 670 adult inpatients in two departments of mental health medicine of a tertiary general hospital by reviewing their electronic medical records. There were 41 patients who experienced falls and 629 patients who did not experience falls during the period from January to December 2019. Data were analyzed by sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and a receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) for validity assessment using the IBM SPSS/WIN 26.0 program. Results: Factors affecting falls were the participant's age, guardian's residence, high-risk determination at the time of admission, and comorbidity. At the 85 points where the point of sum of the sensitivity and specificity was largest, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of EPFRAT were 92.7%, 79.7%, 22.9%, and 99.4%, respectively. The area under the ROC to assess the overall validity of the tool was .92 (95% CI 0.89~0.94). Conclusion: The EPFRAT was proved to be valid and reasonable for predicting falls in psychiatric inpatients. Based on the results of this study, it could be used for the assessment of high-risk patients for falls in psychiatric units.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.182-190
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• 2023

Elbow traumas represent a relatively common condition in clinical practice. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the most accurate tests for screening these potentially serious conditions and excluding elbow fractures. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the literature concerning the diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for the detection or exclusion of suspected elbow fractures. A systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies (PRISMA-DTA) guidelines. Literature databases including PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Diagnostic Test Accuracy, Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were searched for diagnostic accuracy studies of subjects with suspected traumatic elbow fracture investigating clinical tests compared to imaging reference tests. The risk of bias in each study was assessed independently by two reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 checklist. Twelve studies (4,485 patients) were included. Three different types of index tests were extracted. In adults, these tests were very sensitive, with values up to 98.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 95.0%-99.8%). The specificity was very variable, ranging from 24.0% (95% CI, 19.0%-30.0%) to 69.4% (95% CI, 57.3%-79.5%). The applicability of these tests was very high, while overall studies showed a medium risk of bias. Elbow full range of motion test, elbow extension test, and elbow extension and point tenderness test appear to be useful in the presence of a negative test to exclude fracture in a majority of cases. The specificity of all tests, however, does not allow us to draw useful conclusions because there was a great variability of results obtained.