No abstract available.
Hyperthyroidism*

No Abstract available.
Cross Infection* ; Korea*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Palatine Tonsil* ; Tongue*

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study is to compare model performance of machine learning methods with that of a previous study in which a nonlinear mixed effects model was created using NONMEM(R) for the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data for propofol. The secondary objective was to evaluate if a pharmacodynamic model describing the relationship between the dose of propofol and bispectral index (BIS) outperform that describing the relationship between a pharmacokinetic model derived-predicted concentrations of propofol and BIS. METHODS: Data were collected during a study involving the infusion of propofol into healthy volunteers. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic models were constructed using artificial neural networks (ANNs), support vector machines (SVMs), and multi-method ensembles and were compared with the nonlinear mixed effects method as implemented by NONMEM(R). Model performance was assessed by goodness-of-fit statistics, paired t-tests between predicted and observed values for each model and scatterplots. RESULTS: In pharmacokinetic analysis, ensemble I, the mean of ANN and NONMEM(R) predictions, achieved minimal error and the highest correlation coefficient. SVM produced the highest error and the lowest correlation coefficient. In pharmacodynamic analysis, ANN exhibited the best performance. An ANNModel describing the relationship between the dose of propofol and BIS was not inferior to an ANN model describing the relationship between predicted concentrations of propofol derived from an ANN pharmacokinetic model and BIS. CONCLUSIONS: In pharmacokinetic analysis, ensemble combined with ANN achieved slightly better performance than NONMEM(R). The relationship between the dose of propofol and BIS can be predicted without considering pharmacokinetics of propofol.
Machine Learning ; Propofol ; Support Vector Machine

Severe sepsis and septic shock are the main causes of death in critically ill patients. Early detection and appropriate treatment according to guidelines are crucial for achieving favorable outcomes. Endotoxin is considered to be a main element in the pathogenic induction of gram-negative bacterial sepsis. Polymyxin B hemoperfusion can remove endotoxin and is reported to improve clinical outcomes in patients with intra-abdominal septic shock, but its clinical efficacy for pneumonic septic shock remains unclear. Here, we report a case of a 51-year-old man with pneumonic septic shock caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, who recovered through polymyxin B hemoperfusion.
Cause of Death ; Critical Illness ; Gram-Negative Bacteria* ; Hemoperfusion* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polymyxin B* ; Polymyxins* ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic*

PURPOSE: Traumatic brain injury is a multifaceted injury that involves direct mechanical damage, intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhage, breakdown of the blood- brain barrier, excitotoxicity, and ischemia. Despite the dozens of previous investigations, the information about its pathogenic mechanism is still limited. The aim of this study was to reveal the appearance of antigen presenting cells in the cerebral cortex of rats after cauterization. METHODS: A total of 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300 g and 2 months old on the average were used throughout the experiment. The frontal bones were exposed by elevating the skin and craniectomies were performed adjacent to the central suture, midway between lambda and bregma. Cauterizing injury was then created by battery-operated small vessel cauterizers to the left frontal cortex. The rats were sacrificed on the 1st, 4th, 7th and 14th days after the surgery(n=3, each time), and three rats were sacrificed as normal controls. Serial brain cryosections were made by cryostat. For immunohistochemistry, brain tissue sections were allowed to react with mouse anti-rat MHC class II antibody(1:500) and mouse anti-rat ED2 antibody(1:200). Also, brain tissues were routinely stained by H-E, and then microscopic observation and cell counts were performed. RESULTS: 1) MHC class II positive dendritic cells were absent in normal cerebral cortex parenchyme, but were found 28 times more in number in injured rats on the 7th day after cauterization. 2) ED2 positive macrophages were absent in normal cerebral cortex parenchyme, and were found 16 times more in number in injured rats on the 7th day after cauterization. 3) The number of MHC class II positive dendritic cells were smaller in number than that of ED2 positive macrophages 6 hours and 1st day later after cauterization, but it was higher in number on the 4th, 7th and 14th days. 4) The number of MHC class II positive dendritic cells were higher in number than that of ED2 positive macrophages around blood vessels and peripheral regions in the injured brain. 5) MHC class II positive dendritic cells were usually aggregated. CONCLUSION: It can be suggested that the increase in number of two kinds of antigen- presenting cells affect cell-mediated immune responses and phagocytosis.
Animals ; Antigen-Presenting Cells ; Blood Vessels ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Cell Count ; Cerebral Cortex ; Dendritic Cells ; Frontal Bone ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ischemia ; Macrophages ; Male ; Mice ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Sutures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of spiral CT in predicting the depth of tumor invasion in patients with gastric cancer by comparing with histopathological finding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied spiral CT scans of forty-eight patients, in whom gastric cancer was proven by gastrofibroscopic biopsy and surgery. After distending the stomach with 400ml tap water or effervescent granules, 100ml of contrast media was given intravenously at a rate of 3ml/sec. CT scanning was started at 45 sec after administration of the contrast material. Gastric tumors were subdivided into five types according to enhancing pattern from the inner layer of gastric wall to the outer layer. These pattern were correlated with histopathologic results. RESULT: The tumor masses were detected on CT scan in 10(77%) of 13 patients with early gastric cancer, while, the tumor masses were seen on CT scan in all patients with advanced gastric cancer. Of 9 patients with type 1 or type 2 enhancing pattern, early gastric cancer(T1) were proven in 7 patients(78%), serosal invasion (T3) in 2 patients(22%). In contrast, among 29 patients with type 4 and type 5, 22 patients(76%) were proven as serosal invasion(T3). Of 7 patients with type 3, 3 patients(43%) were proven as serosal invasion(T3), three(43%) as subserosal invasion(T2), one as early gastric cancer(T1). CONCLUSION: Analysis of morphological enhancing pattern on spiral CT is useful in predicting the depth of tumor invasion in patients with gastric cancer.
Biopsy ; Contrast Media ; Humans ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Water

Group characteristics(sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes and personal values) of the successful applicants of 1997 at Ulsan College of Medicine were compared with those of the unsuccessful ones. The principal data were the responses of pre-entrance examination questionnaire survey were administered to all applicants. The results were presented the headings of 1) sociodemographic characteristics, 2) financial status, 3) goals of college life, 4) reasons to choose university of Ulsan College of Medicine, 5) personal values. The results of the present study may serve as the basic data to make comprehensive and systematic plans for the adjustment of medical students in the future.
Head ; Humans ; Students, Medical ; Ulsan ; Surveys and Questionnaires