• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-168
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• 2000

Introduction : In spite of the use of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture in the clinics, the scientific evaluation on effects is not enough. Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture is used according to the stimulation of acupuncture point and the chemical effects of Bee Venom. The aims of this study is to investigate the analgegic effects of the Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture, through the change of writhing reflex and the change of c-fos in secondary neurons in the spinal cord. Materials and Methods : Pain animal model was used acetic acid method. The changes of writhing reflex of the mice which were derived pain by injecting acetic acid into the abdomen, after stimulating Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture on Chungwan(CV12) were measured. We used Fos immunohistochemical technique to study the neuronal activity in the spinal cord. Results : 1. Expression of c-fos in superficial dorsal horn(SDH), nucleus proprius(NP) and neck of dorsal hom(N) on 6~9th thoracic spine decreased significantly at $2.5{\times}10-4$g/kg Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture, compared with saline-acetic acid group. 2. The numeral change of Fos-LI neurons on the NP, N, and ventral gray(V) on 6-9th thoracic spine, SDH on 9-11th thoracic spine, and SDH and V on 11~13th thoracic spine decreased significantly at Chungwan(CV12) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture, compared with saline-acetic acid group. 3. The correlation between the numbers of writhing refleax and Fos-LI neurons in T6-13 segment was statistically statistically significant at Chungwan(CV12) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture. Conclusion : This study shows that the Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture on Chungwan(CV12) decreases the numbers of Fos-LI neurons. As the analgegic effects of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture is recognized. Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture treatment is expected for pain modulation. In order to use it in many ways, more researches are needed for the dose and stability of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2023

Background: Pseudotyped virus systems that incorporate viral proteins have been widely employed for the rapid determination of the effectiveness and neutralizing activity of drug and vaccine candidates in biosafety level 2 facilities. We report an efficient method for producing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pseudovirus with dual luciferase and fluorescent protein reporters. Moreover, using the established method, we also aimed to investigate whether Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), a valuable Korean herbal medicine, can attenuate infectivity of the pseudotyped virus. Methods: A pseudovirus of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-2pv) was constructed and efficiently produced using lentivirus vector systems available in the public domain by the introduction of critical mutations in the cytoplasmic tail of the spike protein. KRG extract was dose-dependently treated to Calu-3 cells during SARS2-pv treatment to evaluate the protective activity against SARS-CoV-2. Results: The use of Calu-3 cells or the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in HEK293T cells enabled SARS-2pv infection of host cells. Coexpression of transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2), which is the activator of spike protein, with ACE2 dramatically elevated luciferase activity, confirming the importance of the TMPRSS2-mediated pathway during SARS-CoV-2 entry. Our pseudovirus assay also revealed that KRG elicited resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung cells, suggesting its beneficial health effect. Conclusion: The method demonstrated the production of SARS-2pv for the analysis of vaccine or drug candidates. When KRG was assessed by the method, it protected host cells from coronavirus infection. Further studies will be followed for demonstrating this potential benefit.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.17-22
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• 2024

The war that broke out on October 7, 2023 is prolonging and expanding into the Middle East. Although the damage from war is increasing, humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip has been halted due to UNRWA's deviant actions. Powerful countries have suspended support, and the UN is appealing for support for the Gaza Strip. All damage is borne by civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially women, children, and the elderly. Israel has selected an evacuation zone and evacuation route in the Gaza Strip and established a humanitarian aid route in the border area. However, Hamas's resistance in underground tunnels, using civilian-dense areas and civilian facilities such as hospitals and schools as shields, further amplified civilian casualties. This Israel-Hamas war requires the international community to approach it from a human security perspective. We must strengthen the UN's functions and roles to ensure that humanitarian supplies reach the field and humanitarian intervention forces ensure human dignity and basic rights. We must restore the credibility of the UN's role through the Israel-Hamas war. In addition, Korea should urge the introduction of humanitarian aid and goods, and provide humanitarian goods such as daily necessities and medicine. We must also prepare for deployment as a member of the UN peacekeeping force in the future. These activities will help Korea develop into a model country that fulfills its role as a 'global pivotal nation' and will have a virtuous cycle of international support in the event of a future crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.622-628
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity of the booster immunization with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Korean children. Methods : Thirty-nine children aged 12-23 months who visited Kangnam CHA Hospital between September 2006 and December 2006 were enrolled. The children were divided into primary and booster groups depending on their vaccination status for the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The anti-pneumococcal antibody levels of each serotype included in the vaccine (4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, 23F) were determined by third-generation ELISA. Results : The geometric mean titer (GMT) of antibodies to each pneumococcal serotype in the booster group was higher than in the primary group (P<.05). The percentage of subjects with pneumococcal antibodies ${\geq}0.35{\mu}g/mL$ was 90.5-100% for all serotypes in both the primary and booster groups. The percentage of subjects with pneumococcal antibodies ${\geq}1.0g/mL$ in the booster group was 94.4-100%, which was higher than the primary group except for serotypes 6B and 14 (P<.05). The percentage of subjects with pneumococcal antibodies ${\geq}5.0{\mu}g/mL$ in the booster group was 50.0-94.4% which was higher than the primary group for all serotypes (P<0.05). Conclusion : The immunogenicity of a booster dose of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Korean children was high and the immunogenicity of a primary series was also relatively high. To determine the feasibility of the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and the appropriate schedule for Korean children, further prospective investigation of the immunogenicity of the booster immunization is needed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 1976

Introduction Recently, changes in the patterns and concepts of maternity care, in both developing and developed countries have been accelerating. An outstanding development in this field is the number of deliveries taking place in hospitals or maternity centers. In Korea, however, more than 90% of deliveries are carried out at home with the help of untrained relatives or even without helpers. It is estimated that less than 10% of deliveries are assisted by professional persons such as a physician or a midwife. Taking into account the shortage of professional person i11 rural Korea, it is difficult to expect widespread prenatal, postnatal, and delivery care by professional persons in the near future, It is unrealistic, therefore, to expect rapid development of MCH care by professional persons in rural Korea due to economic and sociological reasons. Given these conditions. it is reasonable that an educated village women could used as a "maternity aid", serving simple and technically easy roles in the MCH field, if we could give such a women incentive to do so. The midwife and physician are assigned difficult problems in the MCH field which could not be solved by the village worker. However, with the application of the village worker system, we could expect to improve maternal and child hoalth through the replacement of untrained relatives as birth attendants with educated and trained maternity aides. We hope that this system will be a way of improving MCH care, which is only one part of the general health services offered at the local health centre level. Problems of MCH in rural Korea The field of MCH is not only the weakest point in the medical field in our country hut it has also dropped behind other developing countries. Regarding the knowledge about pregnancy and delivery, a large proportion of our respondents reported having only a little knowledge, while 29% reported that they had "sufficient" knowledge. The average number of pregnancies among women residing in rural areas was 4.3 while the rate of women with 5 or more pregnancies among general women and women who terminated childbearing were 43 and 80% respectively. The rate of unwanted pregnancy among general women was 19.7%. The total rate for complications during pregnancy was 15.4%, toxemia being the major complication. The rate of pregnant women with chronic disease was 7%. Regarding the interval of pregnancy, the rates of pregnancy within 12 months and within 36 months after last delivery were 9 and 49% respectively. Induced abortion has been increasing in rural areas, being as high as 30-50% in some locations. The maternal death rate was shown 10 times higher than in developed countries (35/10,000 live births). Prenatal care Most women had no consultation with a physician during the prenatal period. Of those women who did have prenatal care, the majority (63%) received such care only 1 or 2 times throughout the entire period of pregnancy. Also, in 80% of these women the first visit Game after 4 months of gestation. Delivery conditions This field is lagging behind other public health problems in our country. Namely, more than 95% of the women deliveried their baby at home, and delivery attendance by a professional person occurred only 11% of the time. Attendance rate by laymen was 78% while those receiving no care at all was 16%. For instruments used to cut the umbilical corn, sterilized scissors were used by 19%, non-sterilized scissors by 63% and 16% used sickles. Regarding delivery sheets, the rate of use of clean sheets was only 10%, unclean sheets, vinyl and papers 72%, and without sheets, 18%. The main reason for not using a hospital as a place of delivery was that the women felt they did not need it as they had previously experience easy deliveries outside hospitals. Difficult delivery composed about 5% of the total. Child health The main food for infants (95%) was breast milk. Regarding weaning time, the rates within one year, up to one and half, two, three and more than three years were 28,43,60,81 and 91% respectively, and even after the next pregnancy still continued lactation. The vaccination of children is the only service for child health in rural Korea. As shown in the Table, the rates of all kinds of vaccination were very low and insufficient. Infant death rate was 42 per 1,000 live births. Most of the deaths were caused by preventable diseases. Death of infants within the neonatal period was 83% meaning that deaths from communicable diseases decreased remarkably after that time. Infant deaths which occurred without medical care was 52%. Methods of improvement in the MCH field 1. Through the activities of village health workers (VHW) to detect pregnant women by home visiting and. after registration. visiting once a month to observe any abnormalities in pregnant women. If they find warning signs of abnormalities. they refer them to the public health nurse or midwife. Sterilized delivery kits were distributed to the expected mother 2 weeks prior to expected date of delivery by the VHW. If a delivery was expected to be difficult, then the VHW took the mother to a physician or call a physician to help after birth, the VHW visits the mother and baby to confirm health and to recommend the baby be given proper vaccination. 2. Through the midwife or public health nurse (aid nurse) Examination of pregnant women who are referred by the VHW to confirm abnormalities and to treat them. If the midwife or aid nurse could not solve the problems, they refer the pregnant women to the OB-GY specialist. The midwife and PHN will attend in the cases of normal deliveries and they help in the birth. The PHN will conduct vaccination for all infants and children under 5, years old. 3. The Physician will help only in those cases referred to him by the PHN or VHW. However, the physician should examine all pregnant women at least three times during their pregnancy. First, the physician will identify the pregnancy and conduct general physical examination to confirm any chronic disease that might disturb the continuity of the pregnancy. Second, if the pregnant woman shows any abnormalities the physician must examine and treat. Third, at 9 or 10 months of gestation (after sitting of the baby) the physician should examine the position of the fetus and measure the pelvis to recommend institutional delivery of those who are expected to have a difficult delivery. And of course. the medical care of both the mother and the infants are responsible of the physician. Overall, large areas of the field of MCH would be served by the VHW, PHN, or midwife so the physician is needed only as a parttime worker.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.27 no.5 s.64
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• pp.669-682
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• 1997

[$Bj\ddot{o}rk$] and Skieller concluded after following facial growth patterns using implants in upper and lower jaw bones that stable structures, which are not influenced by the growth do exist and so these must be the reference landmarks in the process of superimposition. In spite of such facts, for the last 40 years since the discovery of stable structures, most orthodontists have preferred best fit superimposition method to structural method. Cases such as Angle's Class II division 2 malocclusion that show characteristic forward and upward growth or one under long period of post-treatment observation demonstrate that distinct differences exist between the two methods of superimposition. Today, ethical concerns prohibit further growth studies that use implants, md so there is no choice but to use stable structural superimposition method based on $Bj\ddot{o}rk's$ data. Thus, to encourage clinical use of stable structural superimposition method, logic for the use of stable structural superimposition method will be demonstrated, and its technical methods of application will be introduced step by step.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2007

Introduction: Distraction osteogenesis is widely used as for bone lengthening in patients with maxillofacial deformity and alveolar bone atrophy. One of the major problems in distraction osteogenesis is long consolidation period for 2-3 months, in which the devices have to be fixed on the bone to prevent relapse. It results in scar formation on the face, disturbance of mastication and speech. This study was performed to evaluate the stimulating effect of pulsed electromagnetic field on the early bone consolidation in distraction osteogenesis. Materials and methods: Total 10 rabbit were used (5 for control group, 5 for experimental group). A vertical osteotomy in the mandibular body was performed and the distraction device was fixed. After 5 days distraction was done 1mm per a day for 7 days. A pulsed electromagnetic field (38 Gauss, 60 Hz) was applied for 8 hours per day and it continued for 5 days immediately after distraction in the experimental group. Both groups were sacrificed after 2 weeks. Histological specimens with H&E and Masson Trichrome staining were made and histomorphometrically analysed with image analyser. Results: The device for distraction osteogenesis was displaced in one animal for each group, therefore, only four animals in both groups were evaluated. In both groups, a new bone formation was observed in the distracted area after 2 weeks. The bone formation was enhanced in the experimental groups ($31.76{\pm}8.68%$) compared with control group ($9.94{\pm}3.23%$), its difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study suggests that electrical stimulation with electromagnectic field may be effective in the early bone formation after distraction osteogenesis. Further studies with large number of animals are needed before clinical application.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3037-3040
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• 2013

Introduction: Mammography is the most basic modality in breast cancer imaging. However, the overlap of breast tissue depicted on conventional two-dimensional mammography (2DMMG) may create significant obstacles to detecting abnormalities, especially in dense or heterogeneously dense breasts. In three-dimensional digital breast tomosynthesis (3DBT), tomographic images of the breast are reconstructed from multiple projections acquired at different angles. It has reported that this technology allows the generation of 3D data, therefore overcoming the limitations of conventional 2DMMG for Western women. We assessed the detectability of lesions by conventional 2DMMG and 3DBT in diagnosis of breast cancer for Japanese women. Methods: The subjects were 195 breasts of 99 patients (median age of 48 years, range 34~82 years) that had been pathologically diagnosed with breast cancer from December 20, 2010 through March 31, 2011. Both conventional 2DMMG and 3DBT imaging were performed for all patients. Detectability of lesions was assessed based on differences in category class. Results: Of the affected breasts, 77 (75.5%) had lesions assigned to the same categories by 2DMMG and 3DBT. For 24 (23.5%) lesions, the category increased in 3DBT indicating improvement in diagnostic performance compared to 2DMMG. 3DBT improved diagnostic sensitivity for patients with mass, focal asymmetric density (FAD), and architectural distortion. However, 3DBT was not statistically superior in diagnosis of the presence or absence of calcification. Conclusions: In this study, 3DBT was superior in diagnosing lesions in form of mass, FAD, and/or architectural distortion. 3DBT is a novel technique that may provide a breakthrough in solving the difficulties of diagnosis caused by parenchyma overlap for Japanese women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5927-5936
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• 2014

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Jordanians. Breast cancer patients suffer from several negative consequences after treatment and these include pain, fatigue, sexual problems, appearance and body image concerns, with psychological dysfunction. This could affect the patient quality of life and psychological well-being. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published quantitative data on the quality of life and psychological well-being of breast cancer patients in Jordan. The objective of this study was to obtain such data and assess predictors with calculated scores. Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted among breast cancer patients in Jordan diagnosed in 2009 and 2010, assessment was performed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Breast Module (QLQ-BR23) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Clinical, demographic and psychosocial indicators that could predict patient quality of life scores were collected. Results: The number of patients interviewed was 236 (mean age=$50.7{\pm}10.7$ years). The mean Global Health score for the QLQ-C30 was $63.7{\pm}20.2$ SD. Among functional scales, "social functioning" scored the highest ($mean=78.1{\pm}28.6$ SD), whereas "emotional functioning" scored the lowest ($mean=59.0{\pm}SD\;33.5$). For the QLQ-BR23, the worst scores within the functional scales were for "body image" ($mean=52.1{\pm}36.8$ SD) and "future perspective" ($mean=52.9{\pm}38.5$ SD). The worst symptom was "upset by hair loss" ($mean=69.8{\pm}43.0$). The mean HADS scores was $18.{\pm}9.0$ SD. Out of study participants, 53% scored abnormal on the anxiety scale and 45% on the depression scale. Severe depression and severe anxiety were detected among 8% and 14% of study participants, respectively. Statistically significant predictors for individual scores were similar to those reported in published studies, such as the presence of recurrence since baseline, family history of cancer, low educational status, current social problems, extent of the disease, presence of financial difficulties, and employment status. Conclusions and Recommendations: Breast cancer survivors in Jordan have overall good quality of life scores when compared with patients from Western countries. However, their psychological wellbeing is more impaired. There is an urgent need for psychosocial support programs and psychological screening and consultation for breast cancer patients at hospitals of the Ministry of Health in Jordan.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2016

In this study, preparation of positively and negatively charged carbon nanotube (CNT)-collagen (CG) hydrogels with pH sensitive characteristic was reported. The positive and negative characteristics of the prepared hydrogels were created by introduction of positively functionalized CNT-NH₂ and negatively functionalized CNT-COOH, respectively, into the collagen hydrogel. The surface charge of CNTs (CNT-NH₂ and CNT-COOH), CG and CNTs/CG hydrogels was measured by Zetasizer. The swelling ratios of CNT-NH₂/CG and CNT-COOH/CG hydrogels in aqueous solution were checked by measuring of weight changes of the hydrogels in the range of pH 2~10. In detail, the positively charged CNT-NH₂/CG hydrogel swelled up to 5% at pH 4 in comparison to the weight at pH 7, while the negatively charged CNT-COOH/CG hydrogel swelled up to 10% at pH 10. The prepared CNT-NH₂/CG and CNT-COOH/CG hydrogels will be very useful as pH sensitive oral drug-delivering systems for gastrointestine (pH ~2) and small intestine (pH ~9), respectively.