• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.10
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• pp.451-456
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• 2014

Purpose: We evaluated serum procalcitonin (PCT) as a diagnostic marker of neonatal sepsis, and compared PCT levels with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 269 neonates with a suspected infection, admitted to Wonkwang University School of Medicine & Hospital between January 2011 and December 2012, for whom PCT and CRP values had been obtained. Neonates were categorized into 4 groups according to infection severity. CRP and PCT values were analyzed and compared, and their effectiveness as diagnostic markers was determined by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. We also calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and positive, and negative predictive values. Results: The mean PCT and CRP concentrations were respectively $56.27{\pm}81.89$ and $71.14{\pm}37.17mg/L$ in the "confirmed sepsis" group; $15.64{\pm}32.64$ and $39.23{\pm}41.41mg/L$ in the "suspected sepsis" group; $9.49{\pm}4.30$ and $0.97{\pm}1.16mg/L$ in the "mild infection" group; and $0.21{\pm}0.12$ and $0.72{\pm}0.7mg/L$ in the control group. High concentrations indicated greater severity of infection (P<0.001). Five of 18 patients with confirmed sepsis had low PCT levels (<1.0 mg/L) despite high CRP levels. In the ROC analysis, the area under the curve was 0.951 for CRP and 0.803 for PCT. The cutoff concentrations of 0.5 mg/L for PCT and 1.0 mg/L for CRP were optimal for diagnosing neonatal sepsis (sensitivity, 88.29% vs. 100%; specificity, 58.17% vs. 85.66%; positive predictive value, 13.2% vs. 33.3%; negative predictive value, 98.6% vs. 100%, respectively). Conclusion: PCT is a highly effective early diagnostic marker of neonatal infection. However, it may not be as reliable as CRP.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to develop a computer-assisted detection system based on a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm and to evaluate the potential usefulness and accuracy of this system for the diagnosis and prediction of periodontally compromised teeth (PCT). Methods: Combining pretrained deep CNN architecture and a self-trained network, periapical radiographic images were used to determine the optimal CNN algorithm and weights. The diagnostic and predictive accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the ROC curve, confusion matrix, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using our deep CNN algorithm, based on a Keras framework in Python. Results: The periapical radiographic dataset was split into training (n=1,044), validation (n=348), and test (n=348) datasets. With the deep learning algorithm, the diagnostic accuracy for PCT was 81.0% for premolars and 76.7% for molars. Using 64 premolars and 64 molars that were clinically diagnosed as severe PCT, the accuracy of predicting extraction was 82.8% (95% CI, 70.1%-91.2%) for premolars and 73.4% (95% CI, 59.9%-84.0%) for molars. Conclusions: We demonstrated that the deep CNN algorithm was useful for assessing the diagnosis and predictability of PCT. Therefore, with further optimization of the PCT dataset and improvements in the algorithm, a computer-aided detection system can be expected to become an effective and efficient method of diagnosing and predicting PCT.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.430-435
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• 2009

Background: Thus far, research studies on community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) have focused on its clinical severity. Recently, it has been determined that procalcitonin (PCT) level is correlated with severity of CAP. A retrospective study conducted at our hospital used risk predictability and PCT to determine whether or no PCT is useful in assessing the severity of CAP. Methods: This study covered 92 CAP cases that were admitted to the respiratory department at Changwon Fatima Hospital between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. All enrolled subjects were measured for infection markers and risk predictability. Results: Based on hospital admission data, enrolled subjects had Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) scores serving as risk predictors showed that both PCT and white blood cell (WBC) were statistically significant as infection markers (p=0.001, 0.037). Thus, this study used ROC curves in PSI for data analysis. As a result, it was determined that the area under curve (AUC) of PCT and WBC was 0.694 and 0.593 respectively, indicating that PCT has a higher test value for WBC, when PCT was higher than 0.745 ng/mL. In addition, it was found that PCT levels higher than 0.745 ng/mL had higher PSI scores than the group with PCT lower than 0.745 ng/mL (p=0.032). Conclusion: In order to predict risk of pneumonia cases admitted due to symptoms of CAP, it is important to consider PCT as well as PSI, and follow-up monitoring of PCT cases.

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.337-346
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• 2018

Objectives: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is a specific biomarker that rises after bacterial infection, and levels of PCT are known to correlate with the severity and mortality of patients with pneumonia and sepsis. However, the usefulness of PCT levels in acute pyelonephritis is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using the PCT level as a predictive test for bacteremia in acute pyelonephritis. Methods: Between January 2012 and June 2013, 140 patients diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis were admitted to Haeundae Paik Hospital. Serum PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) levels at pre- and post- treatment were measured. Blood and urine cultures were obtained from all patients. The levels of PCT, CRP, and WBCs were each compared between the blood culture-positive and blood culture-negative groups to assess their effectiveness in predicting bacteremia. Results: Pre-treatment PCT level was 0.77 ng/mL (95% CI: 0.42-1.60 ng/mL) in the blood culture-negative group and 4.89 ng/mL (95% CI: 2.88-9.04 ng/mL) in the blood culture-positive group, and the increase between the two groups was statistically significant. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PCT level for prediction of bacteremia was 0.728. A cut-off value of 1.23 ng/mL indicated a sensitivity of 79.0 % and specificity of 60.0 % for PCT level. Conclusions: Serum PCT level is a useful predictive test for bacteremia in acute pyelonephritis. Through the early detection of bacteremia, serum PCT level can help estimate the prognosis and predict complications such as sepsis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2011

Background: Early recognition and treatment of sepsis would improve patients' outcome. But it is difficult to distinguish between sepsis and non-infectious conditions in the acute phase of clinical deterioration. We studied serum level of procalcitonin (PCT) as a method to diagnose and to evaluate sepsis. Methods: Between 1 March 2009 and 30 September 2009, 178 patients had their serum PCT tested during their clinical deterioration in the medical intensive care unit. These laboratories were evaluated, on a retrospective basis. We classified their clinical status as non-infection, local infection, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. Then, we compared their clinical status with level of PCT. Results: The number of clinical status is as follows: 18 non-infection, 33 local infection, 39 sepsis, 26 severe sepsis, and 62 septic shock patients. PCT level of non-septic group (non-infection and local infection) and septic group (sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock) was $0.36{\pm}0.57$ ng/mL and $18.09{\pm}36.53$ ng/mL (p<0.001), respectively. Area under the curve for diagnosis of sepsis using cut-off value of PCT >0.5 ng/mL was 0.841 (p<0.001). Level of PCT as clinical status was statistically different between severe sepsis and septic shock ($^*severe$ sepsis; $4.53{\pm}6.15$ ng/mL, $^*septic$ shock $34.26{\pm}47.10$ ng/mL, $^*p$ <0.001). Conclusion: Level of PCT at clinical deterioration showed diagnostic power for septic condition. The level of PCT was statistically different between severe sepsis and septic shock.

• Journal of the korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.38-47
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• 1989

The Finite Element Method has been employed to calculate the effect of particle size, matrix, and volume fractions on the stress-strain relations of .alpha.-.betha. titanium alloys. It was found that for a given volume fraction, the calculated stress-strain curve was higher for a finer particle size than for a coarse particle size within the range of the strains considered, and this behavior was seen for all the different volume fraction alloys considered. The calculated stress-strain curves for three vol. pct .alpha. alloys were compared with their corresponding experimental curve, and in general, good agreement was found.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.453-461
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• 2015

In order to manage the deflection of a curved PCT girder bridge during construction, a GPS receiver was installed at the spot predicted to be the weak point during the incremental launching so as to measure the deflection at each construction stage. The deflections obtained in the experiment were compared with those derived from the monitoring of stress, temperature and inclination. The comparative analysis of the GPS measurement and analytical values obtained from finite element modeling with respect to the launching distance showed that the measured values differ by 0.6 to 1.6 times to the analytical results. This difference could be significantly reduced by thermal calibration. From the analysis of the behavioral pattern of the bridge, deflection occurred during construction in the concrete tip due to the deflection at the head of the nose at the 95m and 75m-spots, and compression and tension developed respectively at the compression weak zone and tension weak zone. The application of GPS appeared to enable more efficient management of the deflection during the erection of the curved PCT girder bridge and is expected to be helpful for the prediction and management of the behavior in future ILM construction sites.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.388-393
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• 2023

Background: Differentiating between bacterial and nonbacterial colitis remains a challenge. We aimed to evaluate the value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in differentiating between bacterial and nonbacterial colitis. Methods: Adult patients with three or more episodes of watery diarrhea and colitis symptoms within 14 days of a hospital visit were eligible for this study. The patients' stool pathogen polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing results, serum PCT levels, and serum CRP levels were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into bacterial and nonbacterial colitis groups according to their PCR. The laboratory data were compared between the two groups. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. Results: In total, 636 patients were included; 186 in the bacterial colitis group and 450 in the nonbacterial colitis group. In the bacterial colitis group, Clostridium perfringens was the commonest pathogen (n=70), followed by Clostridium difficile toxin B (n=60). The AUC for PCT and CRP was 0.557 and 0.567, respectively, indicating poor discrimination. The sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing bacterial colitis were 54.8% and 52.6% for PCT, and 52.2% and 54.2% for CRP, respectively. Combining PCT and CRP measurements did not increase the discrimination performance (AUC, 0.522; 95% confidence interval, 0.474-0.571). Conclusion: Neither PCT nor CRP helped discriminate bacterial colitis from nonbacterial colitis.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2009

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) compared with that of C-reactive protein (CRP) and the total white blood cell count (WBC) in predicting bacterial infections in febrile infants<6 months of age. Methods : A prospective study was performed with infants <6 months of age who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics with a fever of uncertain source between July and September 2008. Spinal taps were performed according to clinical symptoms and physical examination. Serum PCT levels were measured using an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. Results : Seventy-one infants (mean age, 2.62 months) were studied. Twenty-six infants (36.6%) had urinary tract infections (UTIs), and 22 infants (31.0%) had viral meningitis. The remaining infants had acute pharyngitis (n=1), herpangina (n=1), upper respiratory tract infections (n=7), acute bronchiolitis (n=8), acute gastroenteritis (n=4), and bacteremia (n=2). The median WBC and CRP levels were significantly higher in infants with UTIs than in infants with viral meningitis. However, there were no differences in the median PCT levels between the groups (0.14 ng/mL vs. 0.11 ng/mL, P=0.419). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.792 (95% CI, 0.65-0.896) for WBC, 0.77 (95% CI, 0.626-0.879) for CRP, and 0.568 (95% CI, 0.417-0.710) for PCT. An elevated WBC count (>11,920/${\mu}L$) and an increased CRP level (>1.06mg/dL) were significant predictors of UTIs based on multiple logistic regression analysis. Conclusion : Serum PCT concentrations should be interpreted with caution in infants <6 months of age with a fever of uncertain source.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.380-385
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• 2011

$MgH_2$ was synthesized by hydriding chemical vapor deposition (HCVD). In this study, we examined the hydrogen storage property of $MgH_2$ synthesized by HCVD. The results of pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) measurement showed that the HCVDed $MgH_2$ reversibly absorbed hydrogen as much as 6 wt%. Each hydrogenation rate was very greater than the conventional alloy methods. The reason was that the particle size made by HCVD was small as approximately 1 ${\mu}m$. The PCT of $MgH_2$ made by HCVD methode was similar to a commercial $MgH_2$. The ${\Delta}H$ and ${\Delta}S$ value are respectively -76.8 $kJ/mol{\cdot}H_2$ and -137.4 $kJ/mol{\cdot}H_2$. Mg made by HCVD methode was activated easily than commercial Mg. Also the initial reaction rate was faster than that of commercial $MgH_2$. 70% of the total storage were stored during 400s.