• Anxiety and mood
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2024

Objective : Cognitive fusion, or believability, in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), refers to the tendency to become entangled in one's thoughts or feelings. It is an important factor in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. However, there is a lack of validated self-report measures for cognitive fusion and defusion, particularly for individuals with anxiety. To address this gap, this study aimed to evaluate the Korean Version of Believability of Anxious Feelings and Thoughts Questionnaire (K-BAFT). Methods : A total of 608 university students and 85 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) took part in this study. They were asked to complete various psychological measures, including the K-BAFT, other measures of ACT processes, and symptom scales. The researchers then analyzed the psychometric characteristics of the K-BAFT. Results : The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the three-factor structure of the K-BAFT, which was reported in the original study, was also found in the university sample. Additionally, both the student and the OCD group demonstrated strong internal consistency (α=0.86 and 0.91, respectively). In the university sample, the K-BAFT showed a strong correlation with the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (r_s=0.53, p<0.001). However, it had a weak correlation with symptoms scales for depression, anxiety, and stress (all r_s<0.32). Furthermore, the OCD group had higher scores on the K-BAFT compared to the university sample. Conclusion : K-BAFT is considered to be a reliable and valid self-report tool for measuring cognitive fusion with anxious thoughts and feelings.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.9-21
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to analyze the history and characteristics of laws and regulations of the medical and pharmaceutical system in Korea-focusing on the Korean (Oriental) medical and pharmaceutical system-from the modern period to the early days of the Republic. We reviewed how traditional notions and categories of Oriental medicine, which were regarded as experiential and conventional, became part of the current dualistic medical and pharmaceutical system, and examined problems and effects during the course of positioning. Methods : We classified the development of the medical and pharmaceutical laws and regulations chronologically, from the Korean Empire to the beginning of the Republic. The abolishment of the traditional medical system that was based on laws and regulations of the Joseon Dynasty, the implementation of dualistic medical system in the Korean Empire, the attempt to demolish Korean (Oriental) medicine under the Japanese colonial rule, and the process of developing a statute-based continental law system were thoroughly reviewed. Results : Although the dualistic medical system was specified in legislation via the enactment of the National Medical Services Law in 1951, we found that it was actually enacted in 1963, when the laws and systems regarding the educational institution of Korean (Oriental) medicine were stably established. Moreover, the dualistic pharmaceutical system was specified in legislation through the partial amendment of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act in 1994, but we concluded that the actual enactment was rather in 2000, when the first Korean (Oriental) pharmacist was produced. Discussions and conclusions : An effort to establish a dualistic medical system of Korean (Oriental) medicine and Western medicine during the Korean Empire bore fruit a few decades later, after the Republic of Korea was founded. It means the basis for the legal system finally took shape in spite of the numerous attempts during the Japanese colonial era and the beginning of the Republic to abolish Korean (Oriental) medical and pharmaceutical system.

• The Korean Journal of Medicine
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• v.99 no.2
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• pp.84-95
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• 2024

In Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, human understanding is emphasized as one of three necessary characteristics that a physician must have. Inflammation, which is caused by inflammatory inducers (inf-ids), is a fundamental feature of disease at the cellular and molecular levels. Inflammation protects the body, but excessive or prolonged inflammation can be damaging and can cause disease. Humans are repeatedly exposed to external and internal environmental factors that generate inf-ids throughout their lives. External environmental factors include microbial and non-microbial inf-ids, as well as stressors that inevitably arise during social interactions. Internal environmental factors include the adaptive physiological response that is present from birth. Inf-ids may also be produced by the four-step habit loop, which consists of a cue (e.g., stressor), emotions, routine act (adaptive response), and a reward. Immune cells in the circulatory system and in tissues may have positive and negative effects in inflammatory responses. However, low-grade inflammation may be difficult to detect. We propose a model of disease development that integrates external and internal environmental factors from the perspective of human understanding.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2017

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common gram-positive bacterium that causes serious infections in humans and animals. With the continuous emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, antibiotics have limited efficacy in treating MRSA infections. Accordingly, novel agents that act on new targets are desperately needed to combat these infections. S. aureus alpha-hemolysin plays an indispensable role in its pathogenicity. In this study, we demonstrate that sclareol, a fragrant chemical compound found in clary sage, can prominently decrease alpha-hemolysin secretion in S. aureus strain USA300 at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Hemolysis assays, western-blotting, and RT-PCR were used to detect the production of alpha-hemolysin in the culture supernatant. When USA300 was co-cultured with A549 epithelial cells, sclareol could protect the A549 cells at a final concentration of $8{\mu}g/ml$. The protective capability of sclareol against the USA300-mediated injury of A549 cells was further shown by cytotoxicity assays and live/dead analysis. In conclusion, sclareol was shown to inhibit the production of S. aureus alpha-hemolysin. Sclareol has potential for development as a new agent to treat S. aureus infections.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.321-331
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study is to review the literatures on the regulation, standard and guideline for the human vibration in Korea and other countries. Background: This review can be used to prevent various diseases caused by the human vibration as a basis for the development of the policy. Results: In Korea, the general employers' duties related to human vibration are set forth the Health Measures(Article 24) in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. And then an employer shall take measures to protect the health of the workers concerned by improving other working conditions relating to working hours for the vibration prevention measures referred to in Article 24 of the Act. The European Union adopted a Directive in 2002 on minimum requirements for the health and safety of workers exposed to vibration. New Regulations on Vibration at Work will be introduced in Great Britain on 2005 to implement the Directive. In the U.S., both ANSI and ACGIH adopted the ISO standard for measurement and suggested exposure action and limit values. In Japan, the Ministry of Labor decided that the vibration syndrome among operators of rock drills and riveters etc. could be included in an occupational disease(1947). In addition, ISO standard was based on proposals and draft documents of many countries such as U.K, Japan and European, etc. Conclusion: In Korea, Occupational Safety and Health Act prevent vibration to health, but do not include exposure limits. It is therefore important to consider the new duties regarding to vibration risks added to the general duties.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.285-316
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• 2014

As the number of medical disputes regarding nurses has increased after medical disputes have increase, there is a need for a study on it. However, the legal relationship between nurses and patients has not yet been analyzed. Recently, the role and function of nurses are expanded according to the development of the science of nursing; moreover their activity and limitation of responsibility are also expanded. For this reason, the medical disputes regarding nurses have been increasing. However, the majority of these kind of dispute are just passed over because their practice is usually considered to be a mere action to assist doctor's role. In addition, nurse practice is not a secondary action of doctor's role, but forms part of a medical treatment. Of course, nurses handle many secondary tasks after doctors finish their medical treatment. But this is only part of the whole tasks of nurses. Furthermore, the general details of their medical treatment are not different from those of doctors because they also belong to the medical service personnel. Considering these features of nurse and the medical condition in South Korea, their task is becoming increasingly developed and specialized and they are also establishing their own field. With this stream of times, there is a growing interest in enacting a Nursing Practice Act, in other words, the independent law on nurse for the sake of patient safety and national health promotion. Then, their responsibility will distinctly be expanded as much more. That is, the time that nurses practice their medical care by following doctors' order and also pass over their responsibility to doctors is closed. Thus, this study examines the features and responsibilities of nursing practice, and discusses an institutional framework to efficiently cope with the legal disputes between nurses and patients. It aims to throw light on the decision making on nurse-patient disputes in future.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.3-45
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• 2019

Health insurance is the main instrument to protect the people against sickness. To examine the task of in the future it would be necessary to extract and understand the components formed in its formation and development, benefit related and normative characteristics of the health insurance itself. The health insurance oriented itself to the universal coverage at a law level. Paradoxically this worked positively for the universal development of the health insurance. The task of the health insurance is on the one hand universal, positive and open. On the other hand it has to shape type of allowed method, art and content of the medical treatments into the regulation to ensure the equal benefit as well as the financial stability. That is, the health insurance should check the aberrant medical treatment, and at the same time should be compensated for the their necessity and effectiveness. However there are always some structural differences between both requirements. This article aims to restate and analyse the development of the health insurance, based on the characteristics formed hitherto show the way to reform the health insurance. The problem to enhance the coverage of health insurance, its institutional as well as financial crisis, its peculiar governance would be handled.

• Journal of TMJ Balancing Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 2020

Objectives: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a disease that occurs evenly in many social classes. Despite the long experience of drug treatment, the preference is low due to various side effects. The aim of this study was to discover herbal medicine resources through network pharmacology analysis predicted to be useful for Tourette syndrome. Methods: We used Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) to identify herbal medicines that can be used for TS by using network pharmacology research methods and to predict the mechanism of action. After evaluating compounds of each identified herb, molecular target proteins and mechanisms of action were analyzed, focusing on compounds that are likely to exhibit clinical activity in consideration of the pharmacokinetic parameters of these individual compounds. Results: Fifty nine ingredients such as atropine, veraguensin, and nuciferin among the compounds contained in 48 types of medicinal herbs such as Daturae Flos (洋金花), Salviae Radix (丹参), and Nelumbinis Plumula (蓮子心) act on the D(2) dopamine receptor, which is a protein involved in the development of TS. It has been found that atropine, veraguensin, and nuciferin are highly likely to exhibit activity by acting on the G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway. Conclusions: It can be used in conjunction with non-invasive treatment means such as FCST Yinyang Balancing Appliance with herbal therapy to bring about a significant therapeutic effect, and it will be possible to develop a treatment that can replace drug therapy used in Western medicine.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.99-106
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• 2010

Aquatic animal diseases control act which is to assure the prevention of outbreak and spread of aquatic animal diseases in Korea has come into effect since 22 December 2008. In order to prevent outbreak and spread of aquatic animal diseases, risk analysis is newly introduced. The introduction of risk analysis for movement of aquatic animals related to implementation of recommendation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and should be conducted in accordance with guidelines of OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code. This report involves gathering and analysing the information of international regulation and situations of risk analysis framework in Korea for movement of aquatic animals.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.475-478
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• 2002

In zoological research, penetration of light has been reported of the frontal bones of fish, birds, and reptiles, suggesting the existence of physiologically direct photic routes to frontal lobes and/or deep parts of the brain. We studied the influences of frontal exposure to photodiode light on frontal alpha wave and peripheral NK cells. Repetitive exposure of the subject's forehead to a red light diode (660nm) significantly increased the effective amplitude of the frontal alpha waves (using a mean frequency with a range of +1.0 Hz), peripheral NK activity, and the level of CD57-CD16+. Frontal alpha wave activity and the level of CD57-CD16+ increased, suggesting the possibility of a non-invasive procedure for the activation of the frontal lobe and the increase of NK cells. This light is considered to penetrate the frontal bones of humans directly, and to act on the frontal lobe and/or other immunological regulatory centers in the brain, resulting in some neuro-immunological changes.