• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.30-41
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• 2019

Objectives Development of objective clinical measure for analyzing pediatric weakness has been studied. However, there is no gold standard clinical measures with acceptable validity and reliability were not provided yet and these has been major issue for clinics. Methods Some Korean medicine hospital outpatients (n=324) were recruited as participants, and 55 preliminary questions were given. Pediatric Weakness Scale (PWS) with five subscales and thirty questions were developed using factor analysis and item analysis. The internal consistency of PWS subscales were examined with using Cronbach's alpha. The correlations between PWS subscales and physical characteristics of Body Mass Index (BMI) and Ponderal Index (PI) were attested using Pearson's correlation. The differences between PWS subscale scores and profiles among 3 to 13 years old children were examined using profile analysis and ANOVA by gender. Results PWS five subscales explained 49.1% of total variance, and the range of Cronbach's alpha was from 0.700 to 0.803. The range of correlation coefficient between PWS total score and five subscales was from 0.643 to 0.748, and the PWS total score was significantly (p<0.001) correlated positively with BMI (r=-0.237) and negatively with PI (r=-0.280). The scores and profiles of PWS five subscales, BMI and PI were found to be significantly different among the all age groups. Conclusions Objective and validated clinical measure for analyzing pediatric weakness with five subscales was developed in current study, and foundations for screening, managing and treating pediatric weakness during the development were established as well. This study would contribute to the integrative education and clinical practice of the Eastern and Western medicine.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.12-22
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• 2015

Objectives Myopia has a higher prevalence rate in eastern countries, which also have a higher rate of educational fever compared to western countries. Considering this, social costs paid for myopia will increase rapidly in Korea. Although the development of myopia treatment is necessary, there has been a lack of relevant studies. Thus, this study aims to produce data to prevent unnecessary treatments and medical expenses. Methods The objective is to evaluate the effect of periocular acupressure exerted by a medical massager for myopia. This is an open-label, prospective, single-arm, and pre and post superiority study. The subjects are 7~12-year-old myopia patients with under 5 D (diopter) of spherical equivalent. A total of 56 subjects were enrolled. The selected subjects will wear the massager for 15 minutes twice a day for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint is the refraction change. The secondary endpoint is the axial length change. Statistical analysis was performed at a significant level of 0.05, using a two-tailed test. The criterion for significantly improved refraction was $-0.17{\pm}0.50$ D/6 months and that of axial length change was 0.126 mm. Results and Conclusions This study did not include a control group because children represent a vulnerable group. This objective study will bring some impact on Korean medical myopia treatment. A long-term confirmatory clinical study may be necessary in future.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2013

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of acupuncture treatment with those of collaborative treatment regarding acute Bell's palsy. Methods Twenty-six patients who received outpatient treatment between March 2012 and February 2013 were divided into 2 groups. The East-West treatment group (EW group, n=12) received prednisolone and then acupuncture afterwards. The Eastern treatment group (E group, n=14) received just acupuncture. Acupuncture was administered 3 to 4 times a week, and both groups were educated to practice facial muscle exercises at home. Evaluations were made before treatment, after 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks using the House-Brackmann facial nerve grading system. Results Compared to before treatment, the House-Brackmann grades of both EW and E groups after 1, 2 and 3 weeks of treatment significantly decreased (p<0.05). Regarding group comparison, the House-Brackmann grade of the EW group was significantly lower than the E group at 1 week (p=0.043), but there was no significant difference at 2 and 3 weeks. Regarding improvement of House-Brackmann grades, there was no significant difference between the two groups at 1, 2 and 3 weeks (p>0.05). Conclusions Compared to just acupuncture treatment, collaborative treatment with prednisolone significantly improved the House-Brackmann grade after 1 week, but there was no difference as time passed. Because early intervention determines the prognosis of Bell's palsy, collaborative treatment at the early stage will be clinically helpful to patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1917-1923
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• 2016

Background: Lynch Syndrome (LS) is a familial cancer condition caused by germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes. Individuals with LS have a greatly increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) and it is therefore important to identify mutation carriers so they can undergo regular surveillance. Tumor DNA from LS patients characteristically shows microsatellite instability (MSI). Our aim here was to screen young CRC patients for MSI as a first step in the identification of unrecognized cases of LS in the Saudi population. Materials and Methods: Archival tumor tissue was obtained from 284 CRC patients treated at 4 institutes in Dammam and Riyadh between 2006 and 2015 and aged less than 60 years at diagnosis. MSI screening was performed using the BAT-26 microsatellite marker and positive cases confirmed using the pentaplex MSI analysis system. Positive cases were screened for BRAF mutations to exclude sporadic CRC and were evaluated for loss of expression of 4 DNA mismatch repair proteins using immunohistochemistry. Results: MSI was found in 33/284 (11.6%) cases, of which only one showed a BRAF mutation. Saudi MSI cases showed similar instability in the BAT-26 and BAT-25 markers to Australian MSI cases, but significantly lower frequencies of instability in 3 other microsatellite markers. Conclusions: MSI screening of young Saudi CRC patients reveals that approximately 1 in 9 are candidates for LS. Patients with MSI are strongly recommended to undergo genetic counselling and germline mutation testing for LS. Other affected family members can then be identified and offered regular surveillance for early detection of LS-associated cancers.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.501-509
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• 2016

Shikonin, which derives from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, has been traditionally used against a variety of diseases, including cancer, in Eastern Asia. Here we determined that shikonin inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. Shikonin's biological activity was validated by observing cell viability, caspase 3 activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and apoptotic marker expressions in AGS stomach cancer cells. The concentration range of shikonin was 35-250 nM with the incubation time of 6 h. Protein levels of Nrf2 and p53 were evaluated by western blotting and confirmed by real-time PCR. Our results revealed that shikonin induced the generation of ROS as well as caspase 3-dependent apoptosis. c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNK) activity was significantly elevated in shikonin-treated cells, thereby linking JNK to apoptosis. Furthermore, our results revealed that shikonin induced p53 expression but repressed Nrf2 expression. Moreover, our results suggested that there may be a co-regulation between p53 and Nrf2, in which transfection with siNrf2 induced the p53 expression. We demonstrated for the first time that shikonin activated cell apoptosis in AGS cells via caspase 3- and JNK-dependent pathways, as well as through the p53-Nrf2 mediated signal pathway. Our study validates in partly the contribution of shikonin as a new therapeutic approaches/agent for cancer chemotherapy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2012

Objective : The endpoint of this trial is to verify therapeutical availability of conventional western eyedrops combined with acupuncture treatment by means of BUT(tear film break-up time), Schirmer's test, which have been considered to be typical methods for diagnosing dry eye syndrome. Methods : The subjects of this trial included the outpatients who had been diagnosed with dry eye syndrome in Pusan national university hospital and underwent acupuncture treatment from March 2011 to April 2011. They received acupuncture treatment once a week, three times while constantly using Restasis or artificial tears. We collated and analyzed the outcome data of Schirmer's test and BUT conducted at the beginning of this trial and three times more after each acupuncture treatments. Acupoints, such as, Chanjuk(BL2), Eoryo, Sajukgong(TE23), Taeyang, Sabaek(ST2), limited around both eyes were selected based on their clinical effects referring to medical books. Results : 1. From BUT test results, Restasis and acupuncture combined group showed statistically significant difference, however, artificial tears and acupuncture combined group showed difference only between before and after the treatment, which is not statistically significant. 2. From Schirmer's test results, Restasis and acupuncture combined group showed statistically significant difference, however, artificial tears and acupuncture combined group showed difference only between before and after the treatment, which is not statistically significant. 3. The average duration of treatment was statistically 16.3 days for Restasis and acupuncture combined group. Conclusions : Combination of acupuncture and Restasis for dry eye syndrome can shorten the duration of treatment. Therefore, clinical benefit is expected to be worth.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2005

By the influence of the descriptive approach of DSM-III, the anxiety became the same thing as the anxiety disorder to the clinicians. This unfortunate result sacrificed psychodynamic model of symptom formations and simplified the anxiety as one of the disease entity not as the overdetermined symptoms. These phenomenon awakened the psychoanalytic interest which was in sleep. Freud was the first major articulator of the basic significance of anxiety in human behavior. He attributed the particular quality of the anxiety experience to the trauma of birth, and subsequently to the fear of castration. Such classification of the anxiety according to the psychosexual development is helpful for the clinicians in understanding the origin of anxiety which the patient shows during the psychotherapy. The other analytical view of interpersonal psychoanalysis came from Sullivan. A large part of his therapy is taken up with recognizing and correcting parataxic distortions that interfere with realistic self-appraisal of events and of oneself in relation to others. Perhaps no explanation is the 'most basic' explanation for human anxiety. Anxiety is a multifaceted entity consisting of aspects of realm of discourse. Existential anxiety is inescapable in Western culture but it can be transcended by the cultivation of mind in Eastern culture. The analysts need to stay attuned to their own propensities for anxiety and must permit their own experiences with anxiety to be the grist for the psychotherapeutic mill.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.449-452
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• 2011

A wrist wearable cuffless pulsimeter with a portable and small size apparatus using Hall effect is fabricated. The analysis of the pulse wave measured by the testing product of pulsimeter is done to measure the pulse rate and blood pressure. The blood pressure obtained by the puslimeter is compared with the practical values measured by electronic or mercury liquid blood pressure meters. The detail analysis of a pulse wave measured by a wrist wearable cuffless pulsimeter detecting the changes of the magnetic field can be used to develop a new diagnostic algorithm of blood pressure applying for oriental medical apparatus.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.697-705
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• 2014

The exposed population of a vulnerable group to high ozone episodes (exceeding 60 ppb/8h) was estimated in Busan metropolitan city from 2000 to 2010. The frequency of high ozone days at monitoring sites and the number of the population aged over 65 were used to calculate the accumulated (total, seasonal, and yearly) number of the exposed older population (EOP) to high ozone episodes during the study period based on administrative areas, by interpolation and zonal mean methods in ArcGIS software. The older population in this city had increased significantly from 2000 to 2010 (representing over 10% of the total population in 2010). The vulnerable areas (e.g. the eastern area of the city) of the EOP to high ozone episodes were different from the areas with frequent high ozone episodes (e.g., the western area) due to the increase of the older population in particular areas. The difference was more significant in spring than in any other season, and in 2010 than in previous years (2000 and 2005).

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.07a
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• pp.1914-1915
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• 2007

The period and strength of the pulse on the radial artery are important physiological factors, and they have been used to diagnosis in both Western and Eastern countries for a long time and has been developed as a unique method of diagnosis at each countries. Recently, there are a lot of systems which can give diagnosis information by recording the pulse wave and analyzing the characteristics of the pulse shape. This study describes the Pulse-Wave Measurement System which is able to measure the pulse wave signal using piezoresistive sensor and the pulse wave signal measured by the developed system is transmitted to a computer on the basis of the USB Driver. It has finally shown the the pulse wave signal measured by the sender is appeared to the host PC in real time. The Pulse-Wave Measurement System used the piezoresistive sensor to measure the pulse wave signal and the differential amplifier(AD620) to amplify the pulse wave signal which is small signal. And it used the ADC to convert analog to digital for the measured analog signal and the interface with a computer. It transmitted the measured pulse signal through USB transmission module to the host computer and Labview tool shows it. This Pulse-Wave measurement system will afford comvenience of detecting pulse wave to user related to oriental medicine.