• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1281-1287
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• 2019

Nattokinase (NK, E.C. 3.4.21.62) is a serine protease produced by Bacillus subtilis natto that shows promise for the treatment of thrombotic disease. In this study, we assessed the effects of NK on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a principal malignancy of the liver that causes morbidity and mortality worldwide. Crude extracts of NK (NCE) were isolated from fermentation medium by centrifugation and separated into three fractions (<10 K, 100~30 K and >30K). Orthotopic HCC mouse models were established and NCE was administered by oral gavage. H&E staining was performed to examine the pathology of HCC livers. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate FOXM1, CD31, CD44 and vimentin expression in the liver. Compared to PBS groups, NCE increased the survival rates of HCC-bearing mice to 31% and decreased ascites. Low-intensity ultrasound imaging showed that the hypoechoic mass area was lower in NCE-treated mice and that tumor growth significantly decreased. IHC staining showed that the expression of FOXM1 was inhibited by NCE treatment. Immunofluorescence results revealed lower levels of CD31, CD44 and vimentin in the NCE groups. Taken together, these data demonstrate that NCE from Bacillus subtilis natto improves survival and inhibits tumor growth in HCC mice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.531-537
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between hematologic hyperlipemia index and severity of fatty liver abdominal ultrasonography. A total of 412 adults from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 who underwent abdominal ultrasonography and hematologic data within 3 months of the ultrasound examination, were the target of the investigation. As a result of the study, the hematological values according to the degree of fatty liver were statistically significant in triglyceride, AST and ALT (p<.05), fatty liver was associated with gender, triglyceride, AST and ALT (p<.05). In conclusion, the degree of fatty liver was not directly related to the hematologic value of hyperlipidemia, but we confirmed the necessity of co-management with fatty liver and hyperlipidemia by confirming its relevance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
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• 2019.07a
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• pp.19-22
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• 2019

상완동맥은 어깨에서부터 팔꿈치까지 내려오는 상완골의 내측부에 존재하며 혈압을 측정할 때 사용되는 혈관이다. 이 혈관은 골절로 인해 찢어지거나, 또는 혈액순환에 문제가 생겨 혈관이 막히는 경우가 발생한다. 이러한 경우 혈관의 상태를 확인하기 위하여 색조 도플러 초음파 검사를 사용하지만, 사용자에 따라 영상을 통한 판단 기준이 다르다는 문제점이 발생한다. 따라서 본 논문에서는 FCM과 Fuzzy Decision Tree를 이용한 영상 처리를 통해 일관성 있는 판단기준을 세우기 위한 혈류의 속도를 제안한다. 색조 도플러 초음파 영상에서의 상완 동맥을 추출하여 기울기를 이용한 FCM 알고리즘을 통해 소속도를 추출한 뒤 퍼지 룰에 적용하여 의사 결정 트리로 등급을 분류하고 결과적으로 혈류 속도를 추출한다. 색조 도플러 초음파 영상에서 환자의 개인 정보를 보호하기 위해 개인 정보 영역을 제거하여 ROI 영역을 추출하고 ROI 영역을 이진화를 통하여 상완동맥이 있는 영역을 추출한다. 이진화 된 ROI 영역에서 혈관 영상의 혈류 방향으로의 무게중심을 설정하고 각각의 픽셀과 무게중심 선과의 거리를 이용하여 소속도를 추출한 후 FCM을 사용하여 최적의 기울기를 선정한다. FCM을 통해 추출한 최종 소속도를 이용하여 퍼지 룰에 적용한 뒤 계산된 T-norm과 소속도의 분산을 이용하여 의사 결정 트리를 형성 트리의 단말 노드들은 각 픽셀을 분류한다. 분류되어진 데이터들의 노드별 소속도 평균을 구한 뒤 디퍼지화를 통해 COG(Center of Gravity)를 계산한다. 마지막으로 그 값을 이용하여 혈류 속도에 영향을 미치는 정도를 계산한 뒤 최종 혈류의 속도를 제안한다.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.566-571
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• 2019

Lymphoma is one of the most curable types of cancer. However, drug resistance is the main challenge faced in lymphoma treatment. Peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) is the rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation. Deregulation of ACOX1 has been linked to peroxisomal disorders and carcinogenesis in the liver. Currently, there is no information about the function of ACOX1 in lymphoma. In this study, we found that upregulation of ACOX1 promoted proliferation in lymphoma cells, while downregulation of ACOX1 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. Additionally, overexpression of ACOX1 increased resistance to doxorubicin, while suppression of ACOX1 expression markedly potentiated doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, downregulation of ACOX1 promoted mitochondrial location of Bad, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and provoked apoptosis by activating caspase-9 and caspase-3 related apoptotic pathway. Overexpression of ACOX1 alleviated doxorubicin-induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 and decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential. Importantly, downregulation of ACOX1 increased p73, but not p53, expression. p73 expression was critical for apoptosis induction induced by ACOX1 downregulation. Also, overexpression of ACOX1 significantly reduced stability of p73 protein thereby reducing p73 expression. Thus, our study indicated that suppression of ACOX1 could be a novel and effective approach for treatment of lymphoma.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2019

Background: The adductor canal block (ACB) is an effective intervention for postoperative analgesia following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the ideal ACB regimen has not yet been established. We compared the analgesic effects between a continuous ACB group and fentanyl-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) with a single-shot ACB group. Methods: Patients who underwent TKA were randomly allocated to either a continuous ACB group (Group CACB) or IV-PCA with a single-shot ACB group (Group IVACB). Before the surgery, ultrasound guided ACB with 0.5% ropivacaine 20 cc was provided to all patients. Before skin incision, the infusion system (0.2% ropivacaine through an adductor canal catheter in group CACB vs. intravenous fentanyl in group IVACB) was connected. The postoperative pain severity; the side effects of local anesthetics and opioids; administration of rescue analgesics and anti-emetics; and sensorimotor deficits were measured. Results: Postoperative pain severity was significantly higher in the IVACB group at 30 min, 4 h, 24 h, and 48 h after surgery. The averages and standard deviations (SD) of the NRS score of postoperative pain were $0.14{\pm}0.37$, $4.57{\pm}2.37$, $6.00{\pm}1.63$, and $4.28{\pm}1.49$, respectively in the IVACB group. Rescue analgesic requirements and quadriceps muscle strength were not statistically different between the groups throughout the postoperative period. Moreover, rescue antiemetic requirements were higher in group IVACB than group CACB. Conclusions: In this study, the continuous ACB provided superior analgesia and fewer side effects without any significant motor deficit than the IV-PCA with a single-shot ACB.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.443-449
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• 2019

To protect the patient's internal organs when a patient with cardiovascular disease occurs, it is important to reduce the elapsed time by providing emergency medical services. Decisions for conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation are mainly made using the carotid palpation method, which directs the pulse of the carotid artery, which can diagnose the patient's condition according to one's own subject and cause cerebral blood flow to be blocked by excessive pressure in the carotid due to the weaken cardiopulmonary function. In this study, we developed a multimodal patch-type probe based on multi-channel ultrasound Doppler pairs and oxygen saturation measurement modules which can monitor cardiopulmonary functions. From the in-vivo experiments, the developed probe can be utilized as a novel tool that can increase the survival rate of cardiovascular disease patients by objectively monitoring the cardiopulmonary function of the patient quantitatively and promptly in an emergency situation.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.48-58
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• 2019

We investigate the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of time-domain (i.e. pulsed illumination) and frequency-domain (i.e. chirped illumination) photoacoustic signals measured by a spherically focused ultrasound transducer for spherical absorbers. The simulation results show that the time-domain photoacoustic SNR is higher than that of frequency-domain photoacoustic signals, as reported in the previous literature. We understand the reason for this SNR gap between the two measurement modes by analyzing photoacoustic-signal spectra, considering the incident beam energy controlled by the maximum permissible exposure. As the result of this approach, we find that filtering off the DC term in the chirped signal's spectrum improves frequency-domain photoacoustic SNRs by up to approximately 5 dB. In particular, it is observed that photoacoustic SNRs are highly sensitive to an upper-frequency value of frequency filtering functions, and the optimal upper-frequency values maximizing the SNR are different in time- and frequency-domain photoacoustic measurements.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.154-163
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of eccentric contraction training (ECT) and concentric contraction training (CCT) on the muscle thickness (MT), muscle strength (MS) and delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) of the lower extremities in persons with chronic stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty persons with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to the ECT or the CCT group. The ECT was performed in a specially designed system of eccentric contraction of both legs and, the CCT was performed using a traditional stepper system for concentric contraction of both legs. The training was performed for 30 min/times, 3 times/wk for 6 weeks. Rehabilitation ultrasound imaging was used to measure MT of the vastus medialis/lateralis (VL), and soleus (SOL), a digital muscle tester was used to measure MS, and a visual analog scale was used to assess DOMS. Results: In the ECT group, MT was significantly improved except for SOL resting (p<0.01). In the CCT group, the MT was significantly improved except for VL contraction (p<0.05). The MS was significantly improved in both groups, especially in the ECT group (p<0.01). In the ECT group, muscle soreness was highest in the first week after training but gradually decreased, and in the CCT group, it was highest in the second week of training but gradually decreased (p<0.01). Conclusions: ECT can improve lower limb MT, MS, and DOMS of chronic stroke survivors. Therefore, it is recommended that ECT be used in the rehabilitation of persons with chronic stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2021

This study is a retrospective analysis of the results of tests at three general hospitals in Busan that perform mammography using digital mammography devices. There were 5,320 people in the study, and the results of their breast cancer screening were analyzed to verify the efficacy of breast cancer screening for digital mammography. The average age of patients who performed breast cancer screening was 57.7 years (range 30 to 87 years), and the cancer detection rate was 26, with 4.6 cases per 1,000 people. According to the cancer detection rate by risk factor in patients who conducted breast cancer screening, breast cancer was found in patients without underlying diseases more than in patients with underlying diseases. Additional ultrasound examinations show that the gastronomic rate identified is 3.6%, which is relatively very low compared to that of the Film-Screen system.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2021

Objectives : Pulse diagnosis is one of the main diagnostic methods of Korean Medicine that understands the patient's condition and illness by reading changes in the patient's pulse, which is described in terms of pulse condition While they are described in detail in medical texts, it is difficult to grasp their true nature, as the written descriptions fail to do justice to the experience of pulse taking it tries to convey. As a way to approach pulse condition the effect of the body's tension on the radial vein was measured using an ultrasonic device, after which the measured changes and how they could be reflected in pulse condition were studied. In other words, changes in the radial vein following induced tension were analyzed. Methods : 1) The thickness of the subject's radial vein was measured using a linear probe of an ultrasonic device[LOGIQ 5 Basic, GE, USA]. 2) Fatigue level was increased through artificial stimulation using the Gripmeter[ks-301, Lavisen, Korea]. 3) Thickness of the radial vein post tension induction was measured. 4) The results were analyzed with the Tukey test or paired t-test as post hoc tests. Results : Thickness of the radial vein of the subject pre- and post- Gripmeter stimulation decreased with significance. Conclusions : Constriction of the radial vein that happened after tension induction could be linked to the Tight Pulse[緊脈] that is related to patterns of contraction and pulling.