Standardization of Terminology in Laboratory Medicine II

Standardization of medical terminology is essential in data transmission between health care institutes and in maximizing the benefits of information technology. The purpose of this study was to standardize medical terms for laboratory observations. During the second year of the study, a standard database of concept names for laboratory terms that covered those used in tertiary health care institutes and reference laboratories was developed. The laboratory terms in the Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes (LOINC) database were adopted and matched with the electronic data interchange (EDI) codes in Korea. A public hearing and a workshop for clinical pathologists were held to collect the opinions of experts. The Korean standard laboratory terminology database containing six axial concept names, components, property, time aspect, system (specimen), scale type, and method type, was established for 29,340 test observations. Short names and mapping tables for EDI codes and UMLS were added. Synonym tables were prepared to help match concept names to common terms used in the fields. We herein described the Korean standard laboratory terminology database for test names, result description terms, and result units encompassing most of the laboratory tests in Korea

Efficacy of Laryngeal Rehabilitation Therapy on Dysphagia after Anterior Cervical Surgery: Prospective, Randomized Control Trial

Dysphagia is the most common complication of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Several studies have reported dysphagia’s incidence, severity, and prognosis after ACDF; however, few have investigated the objective effects of dysphagia management. We aimed to elucidate the efficacy of laryngeal rehabilitation therapy for dysphagia following ACDF. This prospective randomized control trial included 20 patients who underwent more than two-level ACDF. Laryngeal rehabilitation therapy was performed on 10 patients for 7 days, whereas the remaining 10 comprised the control group. Pharyngeal transit time (PTT) by videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) was performed to evaluate the objective state of swallowing. We analyzed Bazaz scale and total variance of prevertebral soft tissue swelling (PSTS) from C2 to C7 on lateral cervical radiographs during hospitalization and at 4 and 8 weeks post-surgery. The PTT of the rehabilitation group was shorter than that of the control group at 7 days and 4 weeks post-surgery (p-value; POD 7D = 0.003, POD 4W = 0.042, POD 8W = 0.097). Perioperative laryngeal rehabilitation therapy effectively reduces postoperative dysphagia after ACDF

Correlation between Pd metal thickness and thermally stable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy features in [Co/Pd]n multilayers at annealing temperatures up to 500 °C

We examine highly stable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) features of [Co/Pd]10 multilayers (MLs) versus Pd thickness at various ex-situ annealing temperatures. Thermally stable PMA characteristics were observed up to 500 °C, confirming the suitability of these systems for industrial applications at this temperature. Experimental observations suggest that the choice of equivalent Co and Pd layer thicknesses in a ML configuration ensures thermally stable PMA features, even at higher annealing temperatures. X-ray diffraction patterns and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy images were obtained to determine thickness, post-annealing PMA behavior, and to explore the structural features that govern these findings