• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.320-328
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• 2004

Background : Pulmonary vascular changes which occur early in the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prevalent manifestation and later cause pulmonary hypertension, which is a bad prognostic factor in COPD. Beraprost sodium (BPS), an orally active prostacyclin analogue, has been shown to improve survival in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. This study investigated the effect of BPS in the patients with COPD. Methods : This is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled, two center clinical trial. Twenty one consecutive patients with COPD were enrolled from June 2003 to June 2004 (patients treated with BPS for 3 months, BPS group, n=11; those with placebo, placebo group, n=10). The baseline demographic, pulmonary function and hemodynamic data were not significantly different between two groups. Results : On echocardiographic examination, trans tricuspid valve pressure gradient has decreased significantly after 3 months with beraprost in the BPS group [17.7(${\pm}11.4$) to 8.2(${\pm}8.9$) mm Hg, p-value<0.05], while there was no significant change in the control group. Six-minute walking distance has decreased in the control group and increased in the BPS group, but there was no statistical significance. Conclusion : In patients with COPD oral administration of BPS reduced the pulmonary arterial pressure. The clinical significance of this finding, that is improving symptoms and natural course of the disease, needs further study.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.191-202
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• 2003

A growing interest in health has been leading to more interest in function of food rather than its taste and nutrition. Usually we think chemical-free or oriental food to be good for health. Yaksun is a food with herbal stuff, which reflects our desire for health and longevity and China's splendid food culture. It is based on the traditional medical thought of the Orient that both medicine and food have the same origin. Yaksun is a traditional functional or nourishing food with both nutritive and medicinal elements, which therefore provides such effects as epicurean pleasure, prevention of diseases and improvement of health. It is recorded that in China there was a dietitian in the royal court from the period of Seoju(B.C. 11∼7), who was responsible for supervising and controlling the health, nutrition and disease of an emperor. Therefore, herbal food has a very long history. Currently, there are many Yaksun stores in Japan and Taiwan as well as China, which are one of popular tourist destinations. Basically Yaksun follows the theory of the Oriental medicine. Yaksun is categorized into four(cold, cool, hot and warm) according to its temperature and into five basic tastes(bitter, sweet, pungent, salty and sour). Yaksun has the functions such as preventing diseases and aging improving internal organs, and healing diseases. In China many colleges of medicine have a department of Yaksun studies through which systematic researches have been being made since a long time ago. For Korea, the discipline of Yaksun studies is still at the beginning stage. To respond to a growing interest in health and prevent chronic adult diseases, it is required to develop a functional food by establishing a systematic theory of Yaksun and making more researches into it.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.323-329
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• 2018

Purpose: The dried body of Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans has long been used as a traditional Korean medicinal food, but little is known about its mechanisms of action. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans and possible mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Methods: Cytotoxicity of Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans extract (SSME) was measured by MTT assay, anti-inflammatory activities were analyzed by nitric oxide (NO) production, the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and the mRNA level of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as $interleukin-1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65 subunit and degradation of inhibitory kappa B ($I{\kappa}B$) were examined by western blot. Results: SSME inhibited LPS-induced NO production and iNOS expression without cytotoxicity. Up-regulation of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 was dose dependently attenuated by SSME. Exposure of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, an $NF-{\kappa}B$ specific inhibitor, accelerated the inhibitory effects of SSME on NO production and iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated cells. Moreover, translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ from the cytosol to the nucleus and degradation of $I{\kappa}B$ were decreased by treatment with SSME in LPS-induced cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that the SSME might have the inhibitory effects on inflammation, partly through inhibition of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathway.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.477-487
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• 2016

This study attempts to comprehensively evaluate differences in sociodemographic characteristics, health behavior, disease morbidity, medical care and health-related quality of life of medical aid beneficiaries and health insurance beneficiaries. To achieve this, this study analyzes primitive data of community health survey that each health center had recently conducted in 2013. Study socioeconomic characteristics, health behavior, disease morbidity, medical care showed that various factors affecting health-related quality of life. It was found that medical aid beneficiaries showed lower health related-quality of life than health insurance beneficiaries because not good socioeconomic characteristics, health behavior, disease morbidity, and medical care and even as a comparative result after controlling socioeconomic characteristics, it was found that medical aid beneficiaries health-related quality of life was lower because of not good health behavior, disease morbidity, and medical care. Therefore, to improve health-related quality of life in medical aid beneficiaries as effectively as possible, improving mental health including managing chronic disease and stress and depression and daily living activities is above all important and our national concern with developing systematic program and policies focusing on health promotion behaviors such as moderate drinking habits and regular exercise and eating habits is required.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.659-671
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• 2020

Severe congenital heart disease (CHD) is a chronic disease requiring continuous and holistic health management to improve patients' quality of life. This study explored the health management experiences of adolescents with severe CHDs in Korea. On the basis of in-depth interviews with nine youths, four categories and 12 subcategories were identified. The participants lacked a full understanding of their health status and the need for appropriate health management for their health status. Nonetheless, they practiced health management to some extent, in ways that were affected by heart function, self-identity, and social support. Although adolescents with severe CHDs were affected by physical limitations and the discriminatory gaze around them, they tried to achieve normalcy through managing information, seeking homogeneity with peers, and fostering positive acceptance about their disease. Regarding demands for health management programs, disease knowledge and mental health content were preferred, and the preferred delivery methods were self-help group camps and smartphone applications. Based on the results of this study, we suggest a health management intervention to promote a healthy transition to adulthood for adolescents with severe CHDs, and that policy-makers should consider measures that would enable a successful transition to adulthood in the future of youth with severe CHDs.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2009

Human hair is an excretory system for trace metals and thus metal content in human hair can reflect the body status. The investigation of trace elements in human hair has been correlated with the diagnosis of various diseases as well as the monitoring of deficiency statues in nutrition. Many chronic diseases may be related to mineral status, some may be related to toxic mineral. Hair samples were collected from 120 inhabitants of the city of Seoul, Korea. In this study the concentrations of 10 elements (Hg, Pb, Cd, Al, As, U, Bi, Sb, Ba, Be) in hair were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The conclusions showed that people in Seoul, Korea were affected by some kinds of toxic minerals. The Hg concentrations of male are higher than those of female and reference range. The mean concentration of Sb was higher in the female than male and reference range. In age distribution, the mean concentration of Hg was in 40's are higher than 20's and 30's and reference range. The concentrations of Al were the highest in the 20's. After analyzing, we concluded that a compounded treatment should be conducted, which considers the variety of factors related to detoxification.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.171-179
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• 2024

In previous Cost-of-Illness (COI) studies, the economic impact of lost leisure time of patients has been mostly underexplored. Furthermore, few studies have focused on chronic or severe diseases, thereby inadequately addressing the segment of self-care patients who do not fall into the categories of inpatients or outpatients. In the present study, we used a comprehensive approach to calculate the annual cost of leisure loss, incorporating factors such as employment status, self-care options, and total period of leisure activity disruption. This required analyzing data from various sources, including health and labor statistics, and applying methods to accurately assess the leisure time lost due to food poisoning. The findings showed that the annual cost of leisure loss for South Korean patients with food poisoning is significant, amounting to approximately 784.5 billion KRW (702.8 million USD, USD/KRW : 1128.34). This study revealed that overlooking self-care patients and not accounting for the affected time in addition to treatment time and employment status significantly underestimated these costs. This study highlights the importance of considering a wider range of factors, including self-care, employment status, as well as the entire affected period, in assessing the societal impact of diseases such as food poisoning. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and healthcare professionals to understand the broader economic implications of illness and allocate healthcare resources more effectively.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.96-103
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• 1998

This study was conducted to identify the adaptation process of the families with chronically ill patients. A descriptive comparative research design was used to the subjects of forty families that have stroke patients at an oriental medical hospital. Research tools were Demands of Illness Inventory(Woods, Haberman & Packard, 1987), Relative and Friend Support Index(McCubbin, Patterson & Glynn, 1982), Family Coping-Coherence Index (McCubbin, Larsen & Olson, 1982), Family Hardiness Index(McCubbin, McCubbin & Thompson, 1986), and Family Member Wellbeing Scale(McCubbin, McCubbin & Thompson, 1986). Data were collected from October 7, 1998 to November 7, 1998 at an oriental medical hospital located in IkSan city. The number of cases was forty and the data were analyzed by SPSS $PC^+$. Descriptive statistics of frequency, number, mean and standard deviation were used to report the results. The results were as follows ; 1. There was no significant differences between the two groups on the family stress. 2. There was significant differences between the two groups on the family strength (t value = - 3.09, p value=$.004^{**}$). 3. There was significant differences between the two groups on the family adaptation(t value= -2.08, pvalue=$.05^*$).

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.365-378
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of present study was to discover the experience of the body of aged women, having had disease. Thus, the researcher tried to explore the perception of the informants and the context in which this perception emerged. Methods: 9 aged women who had disease or trauma were recruited by snow balling and theoretical sampling methods. The iterative data collection and analyzing process proceeded between September, 1999 and January, 2005. Questions posed to the informants included: "What major change in your body comes from the disease?" "How did you feel about yourself after having had disease?". Data from interviews and participant observation was taken as text. The text was analyzed using the ongoing process of qualitative content analysing method and taxonomy of Spradley. Results: Disease gives aged women a chance to reinforce the meaning of their body: the body as the most low valued component of a human, the body as a wholistic field of interacting each component of human and with natural environment and cosmos, and the body as a source of group identity. These meanings were constructed in their life world by the rules of hierarchy, reciprocity, and group cohesiveness. Conclusions: The human body is constructed as a cultural being by a social process. Nursing is concerned with the biological body and the social body. The results of this study can serve to help understand the socialization of the body and to construct a somology of nursing.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2005

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic progressive disease, characterized by irreversible airflow limitation, with a partially reversible component. The pathological abnormalities of COPD are associated with lung inflammation, imbalances of proteinase and antiproteinase, and oxidative stress, which are induced by noxious particles and gases in susceptible individuals. The physiological changes of COPD are mucus hypersecretion, ciliary dysfunction, airflow limitation, pulmonary hyperinflation, gas exchange abnormalities, pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale and systemic effects. The airflow limitation principally results from an increase in the resistance of the small conducting airways and a decrease in pulmonary elastic recoil due to emphysematous lung destruction. This article provides a general overview of the pathophysiology of COPD.