• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.371-376
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• 2007

Purpose: The earlobe is one of the areas which are most vulnerable to trauma. Various auricular diseases need compression treatment. We report a new compression method using magnetic disks. Methods: Seventeen patients with auricular diseases were treated from October 2002 to September 2006. The mean age was 29.1 years. The diseases details were osteochondroma in 2 patients; cauliflower's ears in 2 patients; acute otohematoma in 1 patient; and hypertrophic scars in 11 patients. The most common cause of their disease was ear piercing. The mean follow-up period was 8.9 months. All surgical procedures were performed under local anesthesia. To compress immediately, a pair of magnetic disks was applied to the anterior and posterior surface of the earlobe. Results: The results were generally good. Major complications, such as recurrence, necrosis, dehiscence, or infection, did not occur. Conclusion: A pair of magnetic disks are useful compression tool in various auricular diseases.

• Journal of Korean Medical Ki-Gong Academy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.221-235
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• 2009

This study is made for the survey of the effectiveness of the auricular reflexology, now accepted as a part of alternative medicine, applied to the patients of musculoskeltal disease patients, and data about its cognition and the success rate of the therapy. 106 patient was employed in this study who works in various part in a company in Jun-ju in Junrabukdo. From them, data such as, musculoskeletal symptoms by questionnaire examination, and data from ear inspections and interviews were collected and used for the basal data. Auricular reflexology therapies were applied to them at the areas that reflect the musculoskeletal system, for five times, each time with intervals of three or four days. The data about the effectiveness were collected by questionnaire examination, including descriptive answers. The results are as follows; cognition to the auricular reflexology was 62.3%, and acceptance rate of this method was 81.1%. From this results, I think that this therapy can be easily acceptable. The success rates of this therapy were 32.1% after 1 time application, and 84.9% after 5 times applications. This result shows that auricular reflexology therapy has therapeutic effect in musculoskeletal diseases, and the success rates increase according to the application times. Between sex, its success rate were 80% in male patients, and 88.5% in female patients, so this therapy is rather more effective in female patients. According to the body weight, the success rate were 85.8% in normal weight patients, and 71.5% in over- weight patients, so this therapy is more effective in normal weight patients. Comparisons according to other factors, such as age, marriage state etc. shows no definite differences. Conclusively, I think that auricular reflex therapy is easy and useful preventative and treatment method in our usual life. With more investigation, we can apply this method to other musculoskeletal diseases and to the diseases of other systems in the body, I hope so.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.93-97
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• 2000

Backgrounds and Purpose: Hypertension is a common origin for stroke, heart disease, etc. Clinical management is needed to prevent these diseases. It has been said that auricular acupuncture treatment can be used for the control of hypertension. In this study, we studied the effects of auricular acupuncture on mild hypertension. Materials and Methods: Clinical study was performed on 22 stroke patients who didn't take the antihypertensive drugs. They were admitted in Kyunghee University, Hospital of Oriental Medicine. We checked patients' 24-hour blood pressure by Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor and did auricular acupuncture treatment for one day and rechecked blood pressure for 24-hours. We compared the blood pressure between, before, and after auricular acupuncture treatment by Wilcoxon test. The acupuncture points were KOHYOLABJUM, NAEBUNBI, SHINMUN, SHIM, KANGABJUM. They were all on the auricular. Results: After auricular acupuncture treatment, systolic and diastolic hypertension decreased significantly(p<0.05), but heart rates didn't change significantly. Conclusions: These results suggest that Auricular acupuncture treatment may be used for antihypertensive purpose. About the efficacy and safety, further study is needed.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.66-76
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• 1999

The auricular acupuncture therapy is stimulus treat method that acupuncts or moxibusts at the reaction blood vessel point of various diseases in the upper portion of ear. And this effects from the reaction blood vessel point of an ear to the meridian of whole body system through blood stream. The auricular acupuncture has cured and cared signs and symptoms of many diseases and pathologic problems. And this treatment heels abnormal reactions, nursing focuses so it was examined through literature review that nurses use many portions of the auricular acupuncture in their clinical cares of oriental medicine. This study was proved that the Mae-Chim acupuncture method among various methods of the auricular acupuncture is easy and simple so this method can be used by nurses. And the ear acupuncture site which controls diarrhea, insomnia, migraine, stress vomiting, dyspepsia, high fever, insufficient lactation, bowel dysfunction, menoxenia, anxiety, pruritus and can be found easily and is few the number of acupuncture so the oriental medicine nurses can apply easily to their clients. Therefore the independent oriental medicine nursing intervention can be developed by application of the auricular acupuncture therapy on the oriental medicine clinical nursing and home care in our community.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 2011

Purpose: The focal ossification of auricular cartilage is an unusual clinical entity in which the ear becomes partially or totally rigid and immalleable. This condition may result from cold injury, local trauma, inflammation, or various systemic diseases. Patients may feel mild discomfort, but there are usually no other serious symptoms. We present a case of focal ossification of auricular cartilage in which the cause is unknown. Methods: A healthy 58-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of hard mass of right posterior auricular area. He denied any precipitating historical events like cold injury and inflammation. Routine testing did not demonstrate systemic abnormalities. Ultrasonographic examination revealed a $22{\times}10{\times}11mm$ sized heterogenous isoechoic mass showing an acoustic shadow. Results: Excisional biopsy was performed under local anesthesia. Histological examination revealed the ossification with deposition of trabecular bone in normal elastic cartilage. The patient was healed without any problems and satisfied with the result. Conclusion: We report clinical experience of focal ossification of auricular cartilage, which is quite a rare clinical entity. It should be considered that there is the possibility of ossification of cartilage when it meets the benign mass of the ear.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2000

Background: TNF-$\alpha$ plays a major role in producing left ventricular dysfunction cardio-myopathy pulmonary edema and inhibits the compensatory mechanism of congestive heart failure. IL-6 is an acute reactant of immune reaction and also known to control immune reaction but its function in the myocyte was not clearly investigated. Author's performed this experiment to investigate the contents of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 on the assumption that TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 may reside in nonfailing heart that has gone cardiac surgery and play some role in cardiac function. Material and Method : Right auricular tissues were sampled from 12 patients who had undergone total corrective surgery for both congenital and acquired heart diseases from January 1998 to June 1998 in Kosin Universcfy Gospel hospital. The quantitive analysis of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 were assessed by ELISA method in right auricular tissue. Hemodynamic values about the pressure of ventricle atrium aorta pulmonary artery and cardiac index pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output were measured by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization and biochemical analyses of LDH & AST were done before operation. statistical analysis was by Paired Student t-test. Patients were divided into children(under 15 years olds) and adults groups and the data was compared beween two groups. Conclusion: Mild pulmonary hypertension and increased pulmonary vascular resistance were existed in both group. The contents of tissue TNF-$\alpha$ IL-6 in each group were independent of each data.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.326-334
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• 2009

Blood coagulation and aggregation of platelet are crucial events in the pathogenesis of various ischemic diseases. The substance which can prevent blood coagulation and platelet aggregation was extracted from wood ear mushroom (Auricularia auricular-judae) and its anticoagulation activity was investigated. The dried A. auricular-judae was extracted with 0.1 N NaOH and its supernatant was further extracted with methanol and ethanol followed by $H_{2}O$. The resulting methanol soluble fraction showed significant antithrombotic activity in activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, and prothrombin time assays with values of 100, 124, and 54 sec, respectively. This active substance was purified with DEAE-Sepharose CL6B and Sephacryl 400-HR and was found to be polysaccharide with the average molecular weight of over 150 kDa. This polysaccharide was xyloglucomannan of which the main component was mannose, and its anticoagulant activity was mostly mediated by inhibition of thrombin activity.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2023

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is known to be effective in improving symptoms of numerous diseases such as depression and epilepsy by increasing vagus nerve activity through electrical stimulation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of vagus nerve stimulation on the activity of autonomic nervous system and the changes in postprandial blood glucose levels. Seven healthy adults participated in a non-invasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation experiment. taVNS (25 Hz, 200 ㎲, biphasic pulse) was applied to the cymba concha (taVNS group) or the earlobe (Sham-taVNS group) of the left ear. As autonomic nervous system signals, skin conductance level, skin temperature, and heart rate were recorded during the application of taVNS. Postprandial blood glucose changes due to food intake were recorded at 5 min intervals for 25 minutes after taVNS or sham-taVNS. The taVNS showed a significantly lower skin conductance level than the shamtaVNS (p < 0.05). The increase rate of postprandial blood glucose was significantly lower in the taVNS than in the sham-taVNS (p < 0.05). These results showed that taVNS reduced the activity of the sympathetic nerve system and alleviated early rise in postprandial blood glucose. Although further studies in diabetic patients are needed, this study suggest that taVNS has a potential for clinical use to improve postprandial blood glucose.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2013

Objectives : This study aimed to find out whether acupuncture at various acupoints shows any effects on appetite by regulating neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus through the expression of NPY and LR in the PVN via immunohistochemistry. Methods : Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into eight groups of five mice each. The rats in the acupuncture groups were treated with acupuncture at respective acupoints, twice per a day for 3 days. The animals were sacrificed 72 h after commencement of the experiment, the brains being dissected into serial coronal sections. Expressions of neuropeptide Y and leptin receptor in the hypothalamus were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results : NPY expression in the PVN was enhanced and LR expression in the PVN was decreased by food deprivation. NPY immunoreactivity in the PVN of the food-derived rats was decreased by acupuncture at the auricular acupoint, Zusanli-acupoint, a and non-acupoint. However, acupuncture at the auricular acupoint showed most potent suppressing effect on NPY expression in the PVN of food-deprived rats. LR expression in the PVN decreased following food deprivation, and auricular acupuncture increased LR expression in the PVN of food-deprived rats. In normal conditions (fed state), LR expression in the PVN was not changed by acupuncture treatment at several sites. Conclusions : From this study, we have shown that acupuncture at the auricular acupoint exerts the most potent appetite suppressing effect on the food restriction state.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.182-198
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• 2010

Background : The varieties of manifestations referred to oral, glottal, labial and dental diseases has been long complicated physicians in the efficient diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. Acupuncture has been widely used in Korea throughout the history and provides an efficient method in the treatment of them Objectives : Establish a distinctive and efficient acupuncture method for the treatment of oral, glottal, labial and dental diseases based in literature research Method : We reviewed four Korean medical literature, "Guide to Swollen Sore Treatment", "Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine", "Experiential Prescriptions of Acupuncture and Moxibustion", and "Essential Rhymes on Acupuncture and Moxibustion by Master Sa-am", and analyzed the therapeutic characteristics in the treatment of oral, glottal, labial and dental diseases Result : 1. According to "Guide to Swollen Sore Treatment", we could noted frequent application of blood letting methods in the affected area, then rinse ones mouth with salty water and further application of taro plaster. Also found acupuncture methods utilizing heated mole cricket or silkworm in the sublingual region. Regarding herbal method, Realgar was rubbed in the affected area. Mainly used acupuncture points in the treatment of oral, glottal, labial and dental diseases were GV20, GB20, LU5, and auricular anterior hairline 2. In "Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine", blood letting method in the sublingual region and burning needle searing method were the most frequently applied in the treatment of oral, glottal, labial and dental diseases. Moxibustion was also applied in the treatment of labial and dental diseases. Particularly, said to apply 3 moxa cones in ear zones of both sides, when no medicine is effective. This demonstrates how emphasized the importance of moxibustion in this kind of disease. Mainly used acupuncture points were GV16, CV24, LI4, EX-HN12, and EX-HN13 3. In "Experiential Prescriptions of Acupuncture and Moxibustion", no other methods beside wrist. Superstitious methods like applying moxibustion on the tooth picture drawn on the roofing tile need further confirmation. Mainly used acupuncture points were LI4, ST36, and HT7. 4. "Essential Rhymes on Acupuncture and Moxibustion by Master Sa-am", identified the cause of diseases according to visceral pattern identification. Stomach and Spleen in charge of vocal, lingual, and labial disease, Kidney for dental disease, and further scrutinizing identification according to Liver, Heart, Stomach, Lung, and Kidney manifestations. Used supplementation and draining needling methods of self meridians and other correlating meridians. Conclusions : After previous study on stroke and eye diseases, we could also find various efficient methods according to oral, glottal, labial and dental diseases, through literature research of korean medical classics. This study will concurrently result in establishing distinctive therapeutic method characteristic of Korea.