• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.108-113
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• 2022

Purpose: Proton therapy has been used for optimal cancer treatment by adapting its Bragg-peak characteristics. Recently, a tissue-sparing effect was introduced in ultrahigh-dose-rate (FLASH) radiation; the high-energy transmission proton beam is considered in proton FLASH therapy. In measuring high-energy/ultrahigh-dose-rate proton beam, Faraday Cup is considered as a dose-rate-independent measurement device, which has been widely studied. In this paper, the feasibility of the simply designed Faraday Cup (Poor Man's Faraday Cup, PMFC) for transmission proton FLASH therapy is investigated. Methods: In general, Faraday cups were used in the measurement of charged particles. The simply designed Faraday Cup and Advanced Markus ion chamber were used for high-energy proton beam measurement in this study. Results: The PMFC shows an acceptable performance, including accuracy in general dosimetric tests. The PMFC has a linear response to the dose and dose rate. The proton fluence was decreased with the increase of depth until the depth was near the proton beam range. Regarding secondary particles backscatter from PMFC, the effect was negligible. Conclusions: In this study, we performed an experiment to investigate the feasibility of PMFC for measuring high-energy proton beams. The PMFC can be used as a beam stopper and secondary monitoring system for transmission proton beam FLASH therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.148-159
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• 2007

Purpose: Vasomotor symptoms including hot flash are very common to postmenopausal women. Estrogen therapy was regarded as the best option for relieving menopausal symptoms until 2002, when the Women#s Health Initiative(WHI) reported the side effect of the therapy. Consequently, studies on the complementary and alternative medical herbs and therapy for the management of menopausal symptoms have followed. And so we have reviewed some international clinical studies about the management of postmenopausal symptoms with acupuncture therapy. Methods: "Menopause and acupuncture" was designated as a key word in the search site. Pub Med, and nine papers dealing with hot flash among the relevant RCTs were selected, and then, the effect of acupuncture on hot flash and the way the researches had been done was examined. Results : The intensity of hot flash reduced significantly and the frequency of hot flash was inclined to reduce, but not significantly, compared to the controlled group. Conclusion: Each clinical test has its limitations in point of the number of the required samples. However, it still shows the possibility that acupuncture itself will be effective enough to reduce the intensity of hot flash to a certain degree. It is believed that extensive clinical tests on the effect of acupuncture on hot flash will need to be done hereafter. And when the tests are carried out, it is required to exclude placebo effect, do blind test, and carefully select and control the methods.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.576-582
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• 2017

Objectives: Hormone replacement therapy may relieve many symptoms of menopause; however, hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer, stroke, and dementia. This case study describes the effect of Hoechunboeum-tang on the menopausal disorder of hot flashes, which has been well documented as a cause of distress to patients undergoing menopause. Methods and Results: Two female patients suffering from severe hot flashes related to menopausal disorders were administered the herbal medicine, Hoechunboeum-tang. Measurements included hot flash frequency over a 24 hour period, hot flash severity (visual analogue scale), and hot flash-related daily interference and were recorded during the last week before herbal medicine and again after 7 and 15 days of herbal treatment. The patients were asked about their hot flash symptoms 6 months later and both reported that the symptoms had been successfully reduced after herbal treatment and were still reduced after 6 months. Conclusions: Hoechunboeum-tang could have a beneficial effect on menopausal disorder with hot flashes.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.188-196
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• 2018

Objectives: This study is to report the clinical effectiveness of the complex Korean medicine therapy on a postoperative endometriosis patient's hypoestrogenic side effects who is treated with GnRH-agonist injection. Methods: The patient in this case was diagnosed with endometriosis and has been treated with GnRH-a injection after laparoscopic operation. The patient complained hot flash and sweating mainly after GnRH-a treatment. The patient received complex Korean medicine therapy during 10 days admission period. The clinical effects were evaluated through KI (Kupperman's Index) and SF-36 (36 item Short Form Health Survey). Results: After the complex Korean medicine therapy, the various clinical symptoms including hot flash and sweating were improved. Also, the quality of life was enhanced. Conclusions: This case report shows that the complex Korean medicine therapy was effective for treating hypoestrogenic side effects occurred after GnRH-a treatment in postoperative endometriosis patient.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.168-178
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• 2008

Purpose: To verify the relationship of SA2000E results and acupuncture treatment efficacy on postmenopausal women. Methods: Longitudinal analyze relationship of the SA2000E results and hot flush VAS score changes of a clinical trial participants in 2006. Results: Someone who has high Vaso-aging degree by SA2000E represented better hot flash VAS decreasing efficacy. And the diminution rate of hot flash VAS, after 1week from the 1st treatment day was 0.311(p=0.0001), and finally 0.672(p = 0.0396). There are no statistical differences between study group and control group. Conclusion: Clinical trial participant who has better Vaso-physiological function present more hot flash reduce efficacy by acupuncture therapy. Vaso-aging degree by SA2000E could be use as a predictor of acupuncture hot flash treatment result.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.30 no.1_2
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• pp.49-63
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study is investigating the changes of treatment plan and comparing skin dose with or without the skin flash. To investigate optimal applications of the skin flash, the changes of skin dose of each plans by various thicknesses of skin flash were measured and analyzed also. Methods and Material : Anthropomorphic phantom was scanned by CT for this study. The 2 fields hybrid IMRT and the 6 fields static IMRT were generated from the Eclipse (ver. 13.7.16, Varian, USA) RTP system. Additional plans were generated from each IMRT plans by changing skin flash thickness to 0.5 cm, 1.0 cm, 1.5 cm, 2.0 cm and 2.5 cm. MU and maximum doses were measured also. The treatment equipment was 6MV of VitalBeam (Varian Medical System, USA). Measuring device was a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor(MOSFET). Measuring points of skin doses are upper (1), middle (2) and lower (3) positions from center of the left breast of the phantom. Other points of skin doses, artificially moved to medial and lateral sides by 0.5 cm, were also measured. Results : The reference value of 2F-hIMRT was 206.7 cGy at 1, 186.7 cGy at 2, and 222 cGy at 3, and reference values of 6F-sIMRT were measured at 192 cGy at 1, 213 cGy at 2, and 215 cGy at 3. In comparison with these reference values, the first measurement point in 2F-hIMRT was 261.3 cGy with a skin flash 2.0 cm and 2.5 cm, and the highest dose difference was 26.1 %diff. and 5.6 %diff, respectively. The third measurement point was 245.3 cGy and 10.5 %diff at the skin flash 2.5 cm. In the 6F-sIMRT, the highest dose difference was observed at 216.3 cGy and 12.7 %diff. when applying the skin flash 2.0 cm for the first measurement point and the dose difference was the largest at the application point of 2.0 cm, not the skin flash 2.5 cm for each measurement point. In cases of medial 0.5 cm shift points of 2F-hIMRT and 6F-sIMRT without skin flash, the measured value was -75.2 %diff. and -70.1 %diff. at 2F, At -14.8, -12.5, and -21.0 %diff. at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd measurement points, respectively. Generally, both treatment plans showed an increase in total MU, maximum dose and %diff as skin flash thickness increased, except for some results. The difference of skin dose using 0.5 cm thickness of skin flash was lowest lesser than 20 % in every conditions. Conclusion : Minimizing the thickness of skin flash by 0.5 cm is considered most ideal because it makes it possible to keep down MUs and lowering maximum doses. In addition, It was found that MUs, maximum doses and differences of skin doses did not increase infinitely as skin flash thickness increase by. If the error margin caused by PTV or other factors is lesser than 1.0 cm, It is considered that there will be many advantages in with the skin flash technique comparing without it.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.99-110
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• 2020

With hope and concern, the first Korean proton therapy facility was introduced to the National Cancer Center (NCC) in 2007. It added a new chapter to the history of Korean radiation therapy. There have been challenging clinical trials using proton beam therapy, which has seen many impressive results in cancer treatment. Compared to the rapidly increasing number of proton therapy facilities in the world, only one more proton therapy center has been added since 2007 in Korea. The Samsung Medical Center installed a proton therapy facility in 2015. Most radiation oncology practitioners would agree that the physical properties of the proton beam provide a clear advantage in radiation treatment. But the expensive cost of proton therapy facilities is still one of the main reasons that hospitals are reluctant to introduce them in Korea. I herein introduce the history of proton therapy and the cutting edge technology used in proton therapy. In addition, I will cover the role of a medical physicist in proton therapy and the future prospects of proton therapy, based on personal experience in participating in proton therapy programs from the beginning at the NCC.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.74-85
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• 2007

Objective : In this study we wanted to confirm if proper stimulation and de-Qi of traditional Korean medical acupuncture could increase hot flash relief efficacy. Design : A randomized controlled, single blind study. We used two modalities of acupuncture, one with optimal stimulation [Study group; Korean medical acupuncture (TKMA)] and one with minimal stimulation [Control group; Minimal acupuncture (MA)]. Same acupoints [PC6(內關), HT8(少府), HT7(神門), LI4(合谷), ST36(足三里), SP6(三陰交), Ren4(關元)] were used in both groups. Fifty-two patients were treated twice a week for 8 weeks, and follow up was done after 4 weeks from the last treatment. Patients were checked hot flash VAS (visual analog scale), frequency and duration every time they visited. Results : Hot flash relief efficacy by 100mm hot flash VAS was obvious in both groups. Hot flash VAS scores of study group were smaller than the scores of control group at the early stage (3rd, $4^{th}$ and $8^{th}$ visit), but there wasn't a remarkable difference between study and control group at the end of the trial. Besides, diminution of hot flash VAS was faster and more even in the study group than control group by visualization using 'Box plot'. We compared frequency and duration of hot flash, 100mm sweating, palpitation, sleep disturbance VAS, and Kupperman Index, MENQOL, Patient's global assessment score. Both groups showed definite decrease from the baseline, but the difference was not statistically significant. There wasn't any adverse event. Hot flash relief efficacy was kept in most patients after 4 weeks' follow-up. Conclusion : Acupoint combination by Traditional Korean medical theory is effective on hot flashes and hot flash relief efficacy was faster and more even in optimal stimulation than minimal stimulation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.3417-3422
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• 2023

Recently, as the clinically positive biological effects of ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) radiation beams have been revealed, interest in flash radiation therapy has increased. Generally, FLASH preclinical experiments are performed using UHDR electron beams generated by linear accelerators. Real-time monitoring of UHDR beams is required to deliver the correct dose to a sample. However, it is difficult to use typical transmission-type ionization chambers for primary beam monitoring because there is no suitable electrometer capable of reading high pulsed currents, and collection efficiency is drastically reduced in pulsed radiation beams with ultra-high doses. In this study, a monitoring method using bremsstrahlung photons generated by irradiation devices and a water phantom was proposed. Charges collected in an ionization chamber located at the back of a water phantom were analyzed using the bremsstrahlung tail on electron depth dose curves obtained using radiochromic films. The dose conversion factor for converting a monitored charge into a delivered dose was determined analytically for the Advanced Markus® chamber and compared with experimentally determined values. It is anticipated that the method proposed in this study can be useful for monitoring sample doses in UHDR electron beam irradiation.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.159-170
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• 2014

Purpose: This research investigated the degree and predictors of hot flashes and hypogonadism symptoms in patients with prostate cancer receiving hormone replacement therapy. Methods: The subjects were 111 patients with prostate cancer receiving hormone replacement therapy in two university hospitals located in D city. The measurement tools included Hot Flash Diary and AMS (Aging Male's Symptoms rating scales). The data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: The percentage of patients who experienced hot flashes among the participants was 14.4%. The predictors for hot flashes were eating irregularly, having coffee frequently and the types of hormone. The average score of hypogonadism symptom was 2.16 out of five-point scale and the highest score of hypogonadism symptom was the sexual symptoms (2.77 out of five-point scale). The predictors for hypogonadism symptom were eating habits and years of having the illness. Conclusion: These findings provide the information that irregularly eating habit was an important factor in hot flashes and hypogonadism symptoms of the participants. Therefore the development of a nutritional education encouraging regular meals is necessary for the given population.