Differences among Ophthalmology Patients Referred to Tertiary Medical Centers according to Referral Hospital

Heesuk Kim,Hong Kyu Kim,Tyler Hyungtaek Rim,Ji Won Kim,Jin Hyung Kim,Sung Soo Kim 대한안과학회 2018 Korean Journal of Ophthalmology Vol.32 No.3

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the diagnosis and severity of patients who were referred to tertiary medical centers according to the type and function of the referral hospitals. Methods: First-visit patients referred from July 2015 to June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed with regard to referral hospital, final diagnosis, treatment necessity, and medical fees for the six months after their first hospital visit. Based on these data, differences in type and function of medical institution were examined. Results: In a comparison of hospitals according to their number of beds, clinics, hospitals and, tertiary hospitals had no differences in the ratio of patients who needed treatment (p = 0.075) and their medical fees over six months (p = 0.372). When hospitals were classified by functional capability in terms of doctors’ medical specialty, increasing ratios of patients requiring medical treatment (p < 0.001) and medical fees for six months (p < 0.001) were found in the order of non-eye specialists, eye specialists, and eye specialists in trainee hospital. Conclusions: Efficient healthcare delivery systems should classify medical institutions by functionality capability based on medical specialties rather than hospital size according to the number of beds.

Electroless chemical grafting of nitrophenyl groups on n-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon surfaces.

Kim, Chulki,Oh, Kiwon,Han, Seunghee,Kim, Kyungkon,Kim, Il Won,Kim, Heesuk American Scientific Publishers 2014 Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology Vol.14 No.8

<P>The direct spontaneous grafting of 4-nitrophenyl molecules onto n-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) surfaces without external ultraviolet, thermal, or electrochemical energy was invegtigated. Clean n-doped a-Si:H thin films were dipped in a solution of 4-nitrobenzenediazonium salts (PNBD) in acetonitrile. After the modified surfaces were rinsed, they were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). XPS and AFM results show that the reaction of an n-doped a-Si:H thin film with PNBD self-terminates without polymerization, after 5 h, and the surface number density of 4-nitrophenyl molecules is 4.2 x 10(15)/cm2. These results demonstrate that the spontaneous grafting of nitrophenyl layers onto n-doped a-Si:H thin films is an attractive pathway toward forming interfaces between a-Si:H and organic layers under ambient conditions.</P>

Use of a Diabetes Self-Assessment Score to Predict Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Kim, Gyuri,Lee, Yong-ho,Park, Young Min,Kim, Jungghi,Kim, Heesuk,Lee, Byung-Wan,Kang, Eun Seok,Cha, Bong-Soo,Lee, Hyun Chul,Kim, Dae Jung Williams & Wilkins Co 2015 Medicine Vol.94 No.27

<▼1><P>Supplemental digital content is available in the text</P></▼1><▼2><P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are strongly associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. We recently developed and validated a self-assessment score in the Korean population to identify people at high risk for diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the self-assessment risk score for diabetes can also be used to screen for the presence of NAFLD or NASH.</P><P>The study population included 15,676 subjects (8313 men and 7363 women) over 20 years old who visited the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital in Korea between 2008 and 2010. Anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed during regular health checkups. Fatty liver disease was diagnosed using ultrasound, discrimination capability was assessed based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and evaluation measures, including sensitivity and specificity, were calculated. Multiple logistic analyses were also performed.</P><P>We calculated a self-assessed risk score for diabetes (range: 0–11), and a cutoff of ≥5 identified 60% (50%) of men (women) at high risk for NAFLD, reflecting a sensitivity of 79% (85%), a specificity of 60% (66%), a positive predictive value (PPV) of 68% (51%), and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 73% (91%), with an AUC of 0.75 (0.82) for men (women). A cutoff point of ≥6 identified 43% (31%) of men (women) at high risk for NASH, reflecting a sensitivity of 80% (86%), a specificity of 64% (75%), a PPV of 30% (28%), and a NPV of 94% (98%), with an AUC of 0.77 (0.86) for men (women). The odds ratios that a 1-point increase in the diabetes risk scores would be associated with an increased risk for NAFLD and NASH were 1.20 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16–1.25] and 1.57 (95% CI: 1.49–1.65), respectively, in men, and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.21–1.34) and 1.89 (95% CI: 1.73–2.07), respectively, in women.</P><P>The present study indicates that our self-assessment risk score for diabetes could be an effective primary screening tool for the presence of NAFLD or NASH.</P></▼2>

A seed-mediated growth of gold nanoparticles inside carbon nanotube fibers for fabrication of multifunctional nanohybrid fibers with enhanced mechanical and electrical properties

Kim, Young-Jin,Park, Junbeom,Jeong, Hyeon Su,Park, Min,Baik, Seulki,Lee, Dong Su,Rho, Heesuk,Kim, Hyungjun,Lee, Joong Hee,Kim, Seung-Min,Kim, Young-Kwan The Royal Society of Chemistry 2019 Nanoscale Vol.11 No.12

<P>The seed-mediated growth strategy of Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) inside carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers is demonstrated to greatly improve their mechanical and electrical properties and provide a function for catalytic applications. The resulting Au NP@CNT nanocomposite fibers exhibit 100% knot efficiency, catalytic activity and considerably enhanced modulus, tensile strength, and electrical conductivity from 7 GPa, 109 MPa and 1300 S cm<SUP>−1</SUP> to 24 GPa, 351 MPa and 3600 S cm<SUP>−1</SUP>, respectively. The enhancement mechanism is also revealed by systematic characterization and theoretical simulations.</P>

Optical Coherence Tomography Measurement and Visual Outcome in Acute Central Retinal Artery Occlusion

Heesuk Kim,Hong Kyu Kim,Jong Yun Yang,Sung Soo Kim 대한안과학회 2018 Korean Journal of Ophthalmology Vol.32 No.4

Purpose: This study investigated visual acuity (VA) values and differences depending on optical coherence tomography(OCT) findings in patients with acute central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients with acute CRAO who underwent macular and disc OCT. We evaluated changes in macular thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness after acute CRAO onset based on OCT. We also determined the association of thickness changes with VA improvement. Results: This study involved both eyes in a total of 12 patients with acute CRAO. A significant increase was observed in foveal (1 mm) thickness (p = 0.002), parafoveal (3 mm) thickness (p = 0.002), and peripapillary RNFL thickness (p = 0.005) in affected eyes with CRAO, but not in central foveal thickness (p = 0.266). A significant small difference in both eyes (affected eye – fellow eye) was shown in foveal (1 mm) and mean parafoveal (3 mm) thickness in the improved VA group (p = 0.008 and p = 0.004, respectively), but not in central foveal or peripapillary RNFL thickness (both p = 0.283). Conclusions: Both macular and RNFL thickness increased in patients with acute CRAO. RNFL thickness decreased over time with progression of RNFL atrophy. Less macular damage caused by acute CRAO could be predicted by a small difference in macular thickness between eyes (affected eye – fellow eye). In such cases, patients had a greater chance of VA improvement.

코로나19에 맞선 동남아의 대응: 초기 대처과정의 잠정적 함의

김희숙(Heesuk Kim),김다혜(Dahye Kim),김현경(Hyun Kyoung Kim),양영란(Youngran Yang),유민지(Minji Yoo),전제성(Je seong Jeon) 한국아시아학회 2020 아시아연구 Vol.23 No.2

입국통제와 지역봉쇄, 일련의 거리두기 조치로 요약되는 각국 정부의 코로나19 대응책은 적용 시기와 범위, 강도 면에서 차이가 있고, 그 결과는 연일 집계되는 확진건수와 사망건수의 차이로 가시화되고 있다. 본 논문은 이 점에 주목하여 동남아 각국 정부가 내놓은 코로나19 대응책의 시계열적 변화와 보건의료역량에 대한 비교검토를 통해 초기대응과 방역 성패 간의 관계를 논의하고자 한다. 베트남과 싱가포르, 브루나이 등의 국가가 이룩한 성과는 방역의 핵심이 감염 확산 전 초기 단계에서의 치밀한 검역과 적극적인 진단, 공중보건의료역량의 신속하고 전면적인 동원임을 말해준다. 반면 조기에 감염 확산을 막지 못한 국가들의 경우 강도 높은 사회통제 조치에 의존한 결과 사회안전망의 위기와 의료체계의 과부하에 따른 사망자 속출 사태에 직면하기에 이르렀다. 코로나19 사태는 감염병대응전략이 보편적 건강보장과 사회안전망의 강화를 위한 노력에 기초해야 한다는 사실을 일깨워주고 있다. 코로나19의 초국적 전개는 감염 확산을 억제하기 위한 국제사회의 공조와 협력을 긴급한 과제로 호출하고 있다. 4월 14일 개최된 아세안+3(한·중·일) 특별화상정상 회의는 코로나19에 대한 공동대응과 포스트 팬데믹 회복을 위한 국제적 공조의 첫 걸음으로 평가할 수 있다. 동아시아가 코로나19 시대의 ‘희망지대’로 부상한 지금이야말로 위기공동대응체계의 실질적 가동을 위한 노력에 박차를 가할 때다. Government responses to COVID-19, which are summarized by immigration control, lockdown, and a series of distance-keeping measures, differ in terms of the time, scope, and intensity of their application, and the results are visualized by the differences in the number of confirmed cases and death toll every day. This paper, focusing on this point, attempts to analyze the relationship between the initial responses of the COVID-19 put forward by governments in Southeast Asian countries and their achievements. Countries such as Vietnam, Singapore and Brunei have successfully contained the spread of the virus, and the achievements of these countries indicates that the meticulous quarantine and proactive diagnosis at the ‘early stage’ before the spread of infection, and the rapid and comprehensive mobilization of public health capabilities are key to curbing the spread of the infection. However, countries that failed to prevent the spread of the virus at the early stage, belatedly implemented high-intensity social control measures, but faced a death toll spike due to the overload of the medical system. The COVID-19 crisis reminds us that the infectious disease response strategy should be based on efforts to strengthen universal health coverage system and social safety nets. The transnational development of COVID-19 calls for international cooperation and coordination to curb the spread of infection as an urgent task. The Special ASEAN+3(the Republic of Korea, China and Japan) Summit on COVID-19 via videoconference on 14 April, can be evaluated as the first step in international cooperation for joint response to COVID-19 and post-pandemic recovery. Now that East Asia has emerged as the “hope zone” of the COVID-19 era, it is time to accelerate efforts to put the joint crisis response system into action.

FacileIn-SituPreparation of Poly(Acrylic Acid)-Silver Nanocomposite Thin Films with Highly Dispersed Silver Nanoparticles

Kim, Taeho,Nam, Seungwoong,Lim, Soonho,Kim, Heesuk Informa UK (TaylorFrancis) 2012 MOLECULAR CRYSTALS AND LIQUID CRYSTALS - Vol.568 No.1

Catalytic, Conductive, and Transparent Platinum Nanofiber Webs for FTO-Free Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Kim, Jongwook,Kang, Jonghyun,Jeong, Uiyoung,Kim, Heesuk,Lee, Hyunjung American Chemical Society 2013 ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Vol.5 No.8

<P>We report a multifunctional platinium nanofiber (PtNF) web that can act as a catalyst layer in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) to simultaneously function as a transparent counter electrode (CE), i.e., without the presence of an indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) or fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. This PtNF web can be easily produced by electrospinning, which is highly cost-effective and suitable for large-area industrial-scale production. Electrospun PtNFs are straight and have a length of a few micrometers, with a common diameter of 40–70 nm. Each nanofiber is composed of compact, crystalline Pt grains and they are well-fused and highly interconnected, which should be helpful to provide an efficient conductive network for free electron transport and a large surface area for electrocatalytic behavior. A PtNF web is served as a counter electrode in DSSC and the photovoltaic performance increases up to a power efficiency of 6.0%. It reaches up to 83% of that in a conventional DSSC using a Pt-coated FTO glass as a counter electrode. Newly designed DSSCs containing PtNF webs display highly stable photoelectric conversion efficiencies, and excellent catalytic, conductive, and transparent properties, as well as long-term stability. Also, while the DSSC function is retained, the fabrication cost is reduced by eliminating the transparent conducting layer on the counter electrode. The presented method of fabricating DSSCs based on a PtNF web can be extended to other electrocatalytic optoelectronic devices that combine superior catalytic activity with high conductivity and transparency.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/aamick/2013/aamick.2013.5.issue-8/am400179j/production/images/medium/am-2013-00179j_0006.gif'></P><P><A href='http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/am400179j'>ACS Electronic Supporting Info</A></P>

Comparison of clinical characteristics between women with primary and recurrent endometriosis

( Heesuk Chae ),( Suhyun Oh ),( Sunyoung Kim ),( Jonghyun Kim ),( Chulhee Rheu ) 대한산부인과학회 2018 대한산부인과학회 학술대회 Vol.104 No.-

Objective: To compare the clinical characteristics between women with primary and recurrent ovarian endometriomas. Methods: A total of 43 women who had undergone surgery for ovarian endometrioma from January 2017 through December 2017; 37 primary surgeries (group PS) and 6 reoperations for recurrent endometriomas (group RS). Age, CA125, AMH, intraoperative blood loss, surgical findings, the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) score were reviewed. Results: Although the differences were not statistically significant, compared with patients of the group PS, the patients of the group RS were slightly older (40.83 ± 2.68 vs. 34.97 ± 1.46, p = 0.13) and rASRM score was higher (100 ± 33.32 vs. 69.19 ± 39.37, p = 0.078) and the change of hemoglobin level was higher (17 ± 3.74 vs. 11.28 ± 1.17, p = 0.087). Furthermore, the patients of the group RS showed significantly higher incidence of the involvement of mesosalpinx when compared with the group PS (100 vs. 35.1%, p = 0.004). In groups PS vs RS, respectively, there were significantly differences between the groups: the preoperative serum anti-Mllerian hormone (AMH) levels 2.71 ± 0.39 vs. 0.75 ± 0.12, p <0.001); the postoperative serum AMH levels 1.56 ± 0.27 vs. 0.16 ± 0.11, p <0.001); the rate of drop in the serum AMH levels 88.43 ± 10.32 vs. 48.8 ± 4.98%, p = 0.025. Conclusion: This study indicates that repetitive surgery for recurrent endometriosis may be associated with increased risk of post-surgical ovarian failure following surgery. Probably because the involvement of mesosalpinx associated with serious adhesion is more common in patients with recurrent endometriosis.

Rational Design of Hybrid Materials for Flexible/or Stretchable Thermoelectric Devices

Heesuk Kim(김희숙) 한국고분자학회 2021 한국고분자학회 학술대회 연구논문 초록집 Vol.46 No.1

As the practical demand for flexible power-conversion devices increases, the development of high-performance alternatives to brittle inorganic thermoelectric (TE) materials is essential. Flexible TE generators enable conformal contact with heat sources of arbitrary shape such as the human body, which offers an opportunity to realize self-powered wearable applications. Organic polymers, nano-carbons, and their hybrid materials have been investigated as possible alternatives for flexible TE materials due to their well-known advantages including flexibility, light-weight, and easy processability. Among them, the hybrid materials have great potential for use in flexible TE materials because of their high electrical conductivities and controllable Seebeck coefficients. Herein, we show the rationally designed flexible hybrid-materials with excellent TE performance. The strategy proposed here shows great potential for the preparation of flexible/or stretchable power-conversion devices.