• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.5-9
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of group exercise program on depression in the elders with dementia. Subjects of this research were selected from the patients of Hyoja hospital(Yongin, Korea). They were elders with dementia having minor to moderate degrees of cognitive function. Twenty-four subjects were randomly assigned into two groups, each with 12 people; exercise group and the control group. The control group only performed general physiotherapy, while the exercise group performed exercise program and general physiotherapy for 8 weeks. Depression of the exercise group and the control group were measured at baseline before the study, at 4 weeks, and at 8 weeks after the study. Depression was measured by Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea Version(GDSSF-K). Firstly, when comparing the levels of depression within the same group, depression was significantly lower in the exercise group, after the group exercise program. However, depression of the control group did not show significant changes before or after the study. Secondly, when comparing the levels of depression of the control group and the exercise group, differences between the levels measured before the study and 8 weeks after the study, was a statistically significant decrease of depression. Thirdly, effects of group exercise program according to the applied period were analyzed showing 8 weeks of group exercise to be more beneficial than 4 weeks. People who performed continuous group exercise program showed decrease in depression compared to the absence of group exercise program. This can infer beneficial effects of group exercise program. Group exercise program had desirable influence on decreasing the level of depression.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.386-397
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare functional status and the level of health care needs in elderly Koreans in health care institutions. Methods: Data were collected from 2,521 elderly patients admitted in 50 health care institutions (hospitals, oriental hospitals, geriatric hospitals, and health care facilities) selected through proportional stratified sampling in 2008. We used a long-term care (LTC) assessment tool developed by the government, which consists of 52 items with 5 subscales. Results: Statistically significant differences were detected in functional status and the level of health care needs among the subjects in different health care institutions. Of the sample population in geriatric hospitals, 48.9% were eligible for LTC Category 1, 20.9% for Category 2, and 17.2% for Category 3, and 13.1% of the subjects were not eligible for any of the categories. Of the sample population in health care facilities, 29.9% were eligible for LTC Category 1, 20.5% for Category 2, and 21.8% for Category 3, and 27.0% of the subjects were not eligible for any of the categories. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate the necessity of the development of an evaluation system that helps determine whether a subject is eligible for LTC.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.179-185
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare vertical ground reaction forces during sit to stand (STS) and gait between female elderly and young individuals using the Wii Balance Board (WBB). Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fifty-one female elderly people (age: $75.18{\pm}4.60years$), and 13 young people (age: $29.85{\pm}3.69years$) performed the five times STS test and gait respectively on the WBB. We analyzed time (s), vertical peak (%), integral summation (Int_SUM, %), and counter variables (%) in STS and 1st peak (body weight, BW%), 2nd peak (BW%), peak minimum (BW%), time (second), center of pressure (COP) path length (mm), and Int_SUM (BW%) in gait. The independent t-test was used to assess for differences in STS, gait ability, and general characteristics between the female elderly group and young adults group. With the first and last trials excluded, the mean value was obtained from the middle three of the five trials. Results: During STS, Int_SUM and time of young adults were significantly less than of the female elderly subjects. There were no significant differences in peak and counter variables. In gait, all variables (1st peak, 2nd peak, min, time, COP_path, and Int_SUM) showed significant differences between groups (p<0.05). This study demonstrated that the validity of vertical ground reaction forces occurring during STS and gait was significant in female elderly and young adults. Conclusions: Based on the measurement of vertical ground reaction forces in STS and gait using the WBB, it is possible to clinically improve the quality of geriatric physical therapy. Further studies are necessary to examine concurrent validity of elderly patients who have undergone total hip or knee replacement.

• Journal of Korean geriatric psychiatry
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2012

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still obscure even to specialists. To improve the diagnostic accuracy, to find at-risk people as early as possible, to predict the efficacy or adverse reactions of pharmacotherapy on an individual basis, to attain more reliable results of clinical trials by recruiting better defined participants, to prove the disease-modifying ability of new candidate drugs, to establish prognosis-based therapeutic plans, and to do more, is now increasing the need for biomarkers for AD. Among AD-related biochemical markers, cerebrospinal beta-amyloid and tau have been paid the most attention since they are materials directly interfacing the brain interstitium and can be obtained through the lumbar puncture. Level of beta-amyloid is reduced whereas tau is increased in cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients relative to cognitively normal elderly people. Remarkably, such information has been found to help predict AD conversion of mild cognitive impairment. Despite inconsistent findings from previous studies, plasma beta-amyloid is thought to be increased before the disease onset, but show decreasing change as the disease progress. Regarding other peripheral biochemical markers, omics tools are being widely used not only to find useful biomarkers but also to generate novel hypotheses for AD pathogenesis and to lead new personalized future medicine.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.210-222
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a complex pathological condition that lacks a cure. Certain Chinese medicines, such as melittin, a major component in bee venom, have shown efficacy in treating CRF patients. On the other hand, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of melittin are unclear. MATERIALS/METHODS: A 5/6 nephrectomy model (5/6 Nx) of renal failure was established on rats for in vivo assays, and mouse podocyte clone 5 (MPC5) mouse podocyte cells were treated with angiotensin II (AngII) to establish an in vitro podocyte damage model. The 24-h urine protein, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels were evaluated after one, 2, and 4 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson staining, and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to examine the pathological changes in kidney tissues. A cell counting kit 8 assay was used to assess the cell viability. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to assess the mRNA and protein levels in the cells, respectively. RESULTS: In the rat 5/6 Nx, melittin reduced the 24-h urinary protein excretion and the serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Furthermore, the renal pathology was improved in the melittin-treated 5/6 Nx rats. Melittin promoted podocin, nephrin, Beclin 1, and the LC3II/LC3I ratio and inhibited phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/mTOR in 5/6 Nx-induced rats and AngII-induced MPC5 mouse podocyte cells. Moreover, inhibiting autophagy with 3-MA weakened the effects of melittin on podocin, nephrin, and the LC3II/LC3I ratio in podocytes. CONCLUSION: Melittin may offer protection against kidney injury, probably by regulating podocyte autophagy. These results provide the theoretical basis for applying melittin in CRF therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1643-1648
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• 2014

Family caregivers of older cancer patients face many challenges in managing illness. The burden impacts physical, emotional, spiritual, and social health. The objective of this study was to identify burden among caregivers of older patients with advanced cancer, and associated factors. Materials and Methods: Caregivers of older cancer patients were randomly interviewed from March-September 2012. Information on baseline characteristics and caregiver burden using the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI) was collected. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze baseline data, with univariate and multiple linear regression to analyze factors associated with higher burden. Results: One hundred and fifty participants were assessed. The mean ZBI was $19.2{\pm}12.9$ (95%CI, 17.1, 21.2). Two-thirds of caregivers reported no burden (63%) and the main impact variable on ZBI was guilt. High burdens were associated with single caregiver, relationship with the patient as siblings, presence of migraines, and cancer types of the patients. Conclusions: Caregiver burden of Thai cancer patients is low. This unexpected small number could be the result of the socio-cultural viewpoint. Assessment of caregivers and focusing on related factors should be incorporated into treatment plans.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

Many previous studies based on respiratory characteristics of Idiopathic Parkinson's Diseases (IPD) patients have not controlled related factors appropriately. Accordingly, these studies produced discordant results. Furthermore, there is currently a lack of studies that can provide precise explanations on the characteristics of respiration and phonation. This study included a total of 40 subjects: 20 mixed gender de novo IPD patients ranging in age from 50 to 80 (Hoehn & Yahr stage 1~3), and 20 normal subjects with similar matches for age and gender. All participants were controlled based on their gender, age, height, weight, vocal fold function, cognitive abilities, and depression factors. K-MMSE (Korean-Mini Mental State Examination), nVHI-10 (new Voice Handicap Index), and KGDS (Korean Form of Geriatric Depression Scale) were evaluated to select this study subjects. In order to compare respiratory functions between the two groups, FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC were measured using microQuark, a PC-based spirometer. CSL was used by measure MPT and PAS was used to measure MFR. To investigate the characteristics of phonation ability, CSL was used to measure jitter and shimmer, while PAS was used to measure Psub. In order to compare the respiratory function averages and phonation ability between the two groups, statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 12.0). The results of this study showed that most de novo IPD patients were included in the normal average range of respiratory and phonatory ability. But the respiratory and phonatory ability of de novo IPD patients showed lower tendency as compared with the normal group. When the average of respiratory and phonatory ability among the gender was compared, the difference of males was greater than the difference of females.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.357-370
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• 2012

Radiation therapy, the most commonly used for the treatment of brain tumors, has been shown to be of major significance in tumor control and survival rate of brain tumor patients. About 200,000 patients with brain tumor are treated with either partial large field or whole brain radiation every year in the United States. The use of radiation therapy for treatment of brain tumors, however, may lead to devastating functional deficits in brain several months to years after treatment. In particular, whole brain radiation therapy results in a significant reduction in learning and memory in brain tumor patients as long-term consequences of treatment. Although a number of in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the pathogenesis of radiation-mediated brain injury, the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which radiation induces damage to normal tissue in brain remain largely unknown. Therefore, this review focuses on the pathophysiological mechanisms of whole brain radiation-induced cognitive impairment and the identification of novel therapeutic targets. Specifically, we review the current knowledge about the effects of whole brain radiation on pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory pathways, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)/tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) system and extracellular matrix (ECM), and physiological angiogenesis in brain. These studies may provide a foundation for defining a new cellular and molecular basis related to the etiology of cognitive impairment that occurs among patients in response to whole brain radiation therapy. It may also lead to new opportunities for therapeutic interventions for brain tumor patients who are undergoing whole brain radiation therapy.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was investigated of effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with mirror therapy on static balance, weight support and ankle movement incline with chronic stroke patients. Design: Two-group pretest-posttest design. Methods: Thirty chronic stroke patients participated in this study. The study design is a two-group pretest-posttest design. A total of 30 people participated in the study, and 15 people were each assigned to the experimental group and control group. Experimental group received neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with mirror therapy 30 minutes, and conventional physical therapy 30 minutes. Control group received conventional physical therapy 30 minutes. Both groups were conducted 5 times a week for 4 weeks. static balance and weight support was measured by force plate and ankle movement incline was measured by goniometer. Results: As a result of comparing the static balance, weight support and ankle movement incline change between experimental group and control group, statistically significant differences were found in all variables (p<.05). In the evaluation before and after the intervention, there was a statistically significant difference in all variables in the experimental group (p<.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in the control group (p>.05). Conclusion: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with mirror therapy intervention improves static balance, increase paretic side weight support and ankle movement incline in chronic stroke patients. It could be an effective intervention for improve static balance, weight support and ankle movement for chronic stroke patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.22-32
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• 2022

This study investigated factors affecting care for elderly patients, management of systemic disease, infection management, improvement of medical care quality, and educational requirements, and provide basic data for quality care for elderly patients with systemic diseases. An online survey was conducted among dental hygienists working at dental institutions and data of 172 individuals were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 program. Descriptive statistics was performed for general characteristics. For factor analysis by general characteristics, t-test and ANOVA were performed. For differences between groups Scheffe verification was performed. A correlation analysis between factors was performed using Pearson's correlation analysis, and a factor analysis affecting the improvement of healthcare quality was performed using multiple linear regression analysis. Care for elderly patients was 52.33/75, management of systemic disease was 12.65/17, and infection management was 96.92/130. Improvement of medical quality (institutional effort) was 22.87/35, and improvement of medical quality (personal effort) was 22.72/35. The most common educational needs were "necessary". Analysis revealed a positive correlation between factors.. Factors affecting improvement of medical quality (personal effort) were age, final academic background, place of work, and the presence or absence of annual medical examinations. The findings of this study indicate that there is a significant correlation between factors. For the qualitative care of elderly patients, education programs related to elderly characteristics, systemic diseases, and infection management should be actively conducted by dental hygienists, and interest and research on geriatric dental hygiene is needed, centering on associations and educational institutions.