Development and Effects of Smartphone App-Based Walking Exercise Program for Taxi Drivers: Based on Bandura’s Self Efficacy Theory

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smart-phone app-based walking exercise programs for taxi drivers on self-efficacy and outcome expectations for exercise, health-related quality of life, walking as an exercise, and physiological indexes. @*Methods@#A nonequivalent control group with a pre-post-test design was used. The subjects were recruited in G metropolitan city. Subjects were assigned to the experimental (n=31) or control groups (n=30). The smart phone app-based walking exercise program consisted of educations via the app, twelve short message services, and one individual telephone counseling session, which was spread over 12 weeks. @*Results@#Self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and health-related quality of life had significantly higher pre-post test differences in scores in the experimental group. Additionally, blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference had significantly decreased prepost- test difference levels in the experimental group. Walking as an exercise (which consisted of days walked, number of steps walked, and amount of time walked) had significantly increased in the experimental group after 7~12 weeks in the period following the intervention program rather than 1~6 weeks after the program. @*Conclusion@#The smart phone app-based walking exercise program based on the self-efficacy theory demonstrates a significant effect on improving self-efficacy, outcome expectations physical activities, and health-related quality of life for taxi drivers. Therefore, it is recommended to actively use the program as a tool to promote self-efficacy, physical activities, and health behaviors in taxi drivers.

The fabrication of abutment crowns for existing removable partial denture using CAD/CAM: A clinical report / 대한치과보철학회지

Abutment teeth supporting removable partial denture could be faced a number of problems including development of dental caries. If the existing removable partial denture is in clinically acceptable state and the patient does not want to replace the existing removable partial denture, then a new prosthesis for abutment teeth need to be made. The procedure of fabricating a new prosthesis of abutment teeth for existing removable partial denture is complicate and technically challenging. To fabricate the abutment crown, the original cast of patient obtained before any complication to the abutment teeth is required. The original cast should also contain teeth other than the abutment teeth as a reference point. Once the cast is prepared, CAD/CAM could be used to produce retrofitting prosthesis effortlessly and efficiently. This clinical report presents fabricating a crown to fit existing removable partial denture using CAD/CAM for a patient with post and core failure and dislodged prosthesis. The prosthesis had high stability with minimum adjustment yielding satisfying result.

Small Animal PET Imaging with 124IFIAU for Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Thymidine Kinase Gene Expression in a Hepatoma Model / 핵의학분자영상

PURPOSE: The HSV1-tk gene has been extensively studied as a type of reporter gene. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), only a small proportion of patients are eligible for surgical resection and there is limitation in palliative options. Therefore, there is a need for the develoopement of new treatment modalities and gene therapy is a leading candidate. In the present study, we investigated the usefulness of substrate, 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-beta-D-arabino-furanosyl-5-[124/125I]iodo- uracil ([124/125I]FIAU) as a non-invasive imaging agent for HSV1-tk gene therapy in hepatoma model using small animal PET. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With the Morris hepatoma MCA cell line and MCA-tk cell line which was transduced with the HSV1-tk gene, in vitro uptake and correlation study between [125I]FIAU uptake according to increasing numeric count of percentage of MCA-tk cell were performed. The biodistribution data and small animal PET images with [124I]FIAU were obtained with Balb/c-nude mice bearing both MCA and MCA-tk tumors. RESULTS: Specific accumulation of [125I]FIAU was observed in MCA-tk cells but uptake was low in MCA cells. Uptake in MCA-tk cells was 15 times higher than that of MCA cells at 480 min. [125I]FIAU uptake was linearly correlated (R2=0.964, p=0.01) with increasing percentage of MCA-tk numeric cell count. Biodistribution results showed that [125I]FIAU was mainly excreted via the renal system in the early phase. Ratios of MCA-tk tumor to blood acting were 10, 41, and 641 at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h post-injection, respectively. The maximum ratio of MCA-tk to MCA tumor was 192.7 at 24 h. Ratios of MCA-tk tumor to liver were 13.8, 66.8, and 588.3 at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h, respectively. On small aninal PET, [124I]FIAU accumulated in substantial higher levels in MCA-tk tumor and liver than MCA tumor. CONCLUSION: FIAU shows selective accumulation to HSV1-tk expressing hepatoma cell tumors with minimal uptake in normal liver. Therefore, radiolabelled FIAU is expected to be a useful substrate for non-invasive imaging of HSV1-tk gene therapy and therapeutic response monitoring of HCC.

The Role of F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Patients with Malignant Mixed Mullerian Tumors of the Uterus / 핵의학분자영상

PURPOSE: Malignant Mixed Mullerian Tumor (MMMT) of the uterine corpus is one of the very uncommon and the most lethal tumors in the uterus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of FDG PET in detecting distant metastasis and residual and/or recurrent disease. METHODS: Ten patients who underwent FDG PET for detecting distant metastasis and recurrence were included. Focal FDG accumulation was regarded as abnormal. We also reviewed serum CA 125 levels, anatomical images, and histopathological examination. RESULTS: Three patients of 10 FDG PET showed abnormal FDG uptake. One had high serum CA 125 levels and high fractions of carcinomatous element on histopathologic examination. FDG PET showed metastatic lesions in unexpected locations, which could not be detected by anatomical images. Another had normal serum CA 125 levels with high sarcomatous element and CT could only detect a few lesions. The other had high serum CA 125 levels and also had high carcinomatous element. Seven patients who had no abnormal uptake on FDG PET had no clinical evidence of recurrence during the follow up period (51.7+/-12.2 months). The mean disease free intervals of these 7 patients were 36.4+/-6.0 months. Two patients with abnormal findings had never become disease-free condition during the follow up period (6.0+/-4.2 months. CONCLUSION: FDG PET could be a useful modality for unexpected distant metastasis and follow up tool in patients with MMMT.

Patterns of FDG Uptake in Stomach on F-18 FDG Positron Emission Tomography: Correlation with Endoscopic Findings / 대한핵의학회잡지

PURPOSE: we often find variable degrees of FDG uptake and patterns in stomach, which can make difficult to distinguish physiologic uptake from pathologic uptake on FDG PET. The purpose of this study was to find out the significant findings of stomach on FDG PET. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight patients who underwent both FDG PET and endoscopy within one week from Jun. 2003, to Aug. 2004 were included in this study. We reviewed 38 patients (18 for medical check up, 15 for work up of other malignancies, and 5 for the evaluation of stomach lesion). Their mean age was 56 years old (range: 32~79), men and women were 28 and 10, respectively. Two nuclear physicians evaluated five parameters on FDG PET findings of stomach with a consensus: 1) visual grades 2) maximum SUV (max.SUV) 3) focal 4) diffuse and 5) asymmetric patterns. We correlated the lesions of FDG PET findings of stomach with those of endoscopy. We considered more than equivocal findings on FDG PET as positive. RESULTS: The six of 38 patients were proven as malignant lesions by endoscopic biopsy and others were inflammatory lesions (ulcer in 3, chronic atrophic gastritis in 12, uncommon forms of gastritis in 5), non-inflammatory lesions (n=3), and normal stomach (n=9). By the visual analysis, malignant lesions had higher FDG uptake than the others. The max.SUV of malignant lesions was 7.95 4.83 which was significantly higher than the other benign lesions (2.9 0.69 in ulcer, 3.08 1.2 in chronic atrophic gastritis, 3.2 1.49 in uncommon forms of gastritis (p=0.044) ). In the appearance of stomach on FDG PET, malignant lesions were shown focal (5 of 6) and benign inflammatory lesions were shown diffuse (9 of 20) and asymmetric (14 of 20). Benign lesions and normal stomach were shown variable degrees of uptake and patterns. Some cases of benign inflammatory lesions such as ulcer and gastritis were shown focal and mimicked cancerous lesion (4 of 15). CONCLUSION: Gastric malignant lesions had higher FDG uptake and focal pattern. However, benign inflammatory lesions had moderate degrees of uptake and diffuse and asymmetric patterns rather than focal. It is difficult to differentiate between benign lesions including normal.