• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.180-189
• /
• 2002

Background and Purpose : The hemiplegic upper extremity is affected in many stroke patients, and recovery is often poor. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in enhancing the upper extremity motor and functional recovery of ischemic stroke patients. Subjects and Methods : Forty ischemic stroke patients (the upper extremity Fugl-Meyer motor scale (FM) score lower than 46, lesion location within middle cerebral artery territory) within 2 weeks of stroke onset were randomly allocated to either an EA group that received EA treatment or a control group that received only routine ward care. The EA was applied at Quchi-Shousanli (LI11-LI10), Waiguan-Hegu (TE5-LI4) points on the hemiparetic side six times per week for 4 weeks. The frequency of stimulation was 25-50Hz and the intensity was set at a level sufficient to induce muscle contraction. EA treatment was given for 30 minutes and all patients of both groups received standard rehabilitation program. Outcomes were assessed, in a blind manner, before treatment began and at 4 weeks after treatment, with the FM, the Motor Power score (MP) for shoulder/elbow, and the subsection of the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) for drinking/feeding/dressing upper body/grooming. Results : These 2 groups had comparable clinical characteristics, lesion location, lesion size, and pretreatment impairment scores. By the end of treatment, the EA group showed significantly more improvement than the control group in the subsection of the FM for shoulder/elbow/coordination (6.4 vs. 3.7; P=0.047) and the MP for shoulder/elbow (5.3 vs. 3.3; P=0.008). The subsection scores of the MBI for drinking/feeding/dressing upper body/grooming were not significantly different between two groups. No adverse effects due to treatment were found Conclusion : These results suggest that EA enhances the upper extremity motor recovery of acute stroke patients. However, this study failed to demonstrate any significant functional benefit related with upper extremity. Future study should be carried out in a larger sample size and use the functional outcome measure that is more specific and sensitive to the upper extremity.

• Nutritional Sciences
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.61-67
• /
• 2006

Green tea has attracted attention with respect to its potential for preventing and treating neurodegenerative disease. The neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), was used to produce experimental Parkinson's disease (PD) model. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of green tea diet on behavioral changes, striatal dopamine content, and hepatic antioxidant parameters of PD model rats. In this study, we used male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $200\sim220g$ and injected 6-OHDA into the right substantia nigra and medial forebrain bundle of the brain. The supply of green tea diet was started at 2 weeks before 6-OHDA lesion and continually supplied during 0, 2, and 4 weeks after 6-OHDA lesion (GT-0, GT-2, GT-4). Behavioral disturbance was measured by the stepping and d-amphetamine drug-induced rotation tests. Then, we assayed the striatal dopamine content and the hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide $(H_2O_2)$, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The percentage of lesioned forepaw to non-lesioned forepaw step scores was the highest in GT-4 group among all groups at both 3 and 4 weeks after 6-OHDA lesion. At 4 weeks after 6-OHDA lesion, the rotation score was the lowest in GT-2 group (p<0.05). However, increasing rate of the rotation score from 2 to 4 weeks after 6-OHDA lesion was the lowest in GT-4 group. The striatal dopamine content was not significantly different among four groups by green tea diet. The hepatic MDA level was the lowest in GT-4 group among four groups. The hepatic SOD activity was increased with the prolongation of green tea diet period These results suggest that green tea diet affects behavioral changes in rats of PD model. It seems that continuous green tea supplementation has an influence on the reduction of behavioral disturbance and the hepatic MDA level. Accordingly, continuous green tea supplementation was recommended for the prevention and treatment of PD. However, further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms and efficacy of green tea in PD.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.561-571
• /
• 2020

Objective: To evaluate the clinical utility of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI compared to conventional DCE-MRI by studying lesion conspicuity and size according to the level of background parenchymal enhancement (BPE). Materials and Methods: This study included 360 women (median age, 54 years; range, 26-82 years) with 361 who had undergone breast MRI, including both ultrafast and conventional DCE-MRI before surgery, between January and December 2017. Conspicuity was evaluated using a five-point score. Size was measured as the single maximal diameter. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare median conspicuity score. To identify factors associated with conspicuity, multivariable logistic regression was performed. Absolute agreement between size at MRI and histopathologic examination was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The median conspicuity scores were 5 at both scans, but the interquartile ranges were significantly different (5-5 at ultrafast vs. 4-5 at conventional, p < 0.001). Premenopausal status (odds ratio [OR] = 2.2, p = 0.048), non-mass enhancement (OR = 4.1, p = 0.001), moderate to marked BPE (OR = 7.5, p < 0.001), and shorter time to enhancement (OR = 0.9, p = 0.043) were independently associated with better conspicuity at ultrafast scans. Tumor size agreement between MRI and histopathologic examination was similar for both scans (ICC = 0.66 for ultrafast vs. 0.63 for conventional). Conclusion: Ultrafast DCE-MRI could improve lesion conspicuity compared to conventional DCE-MRI, especially in women with premenopausal status, non-mass enhancement, moderate to marked BPE or short time to enhancement.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.35-40
• /
• 2004

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate effects of calcific lesion on shockwave therapy of the tennis elbow. Materials and Methods: twenty-four patients with refractory tennis elbow were treated with shock waves. The patients were evaluated by assessment of pain using visual analog scale (VAS) and simple elbow test (SET). Comparision of clinical outcomes for the patients with and without calcification in the extensor tendon and/or cortical irregularity of lateral condyle was tried to determine if this could be a possible prognostic factor in clinical settings. Overall clinical outcomes were evaluated by Roles and Maudsley score at 12 months after ESWT. Results: Significant improvement of symptoms were observed in 20 (83 %) patients at 12 months follow up according to Roles and Maudesley scores. The patients with calcification and/or cortical irregularity improved significantly better, when compared to the patients without calcification and/or cortical irregularity at follow up. Conclusion: This study suggests that shock waves therapy could be considered as effective and noninvasive treatment modality for refractory tennis elbow. Also calcific deposit in extensor tendon and/or cortical irregularity of the lateral epicondyle was seem to be good prognostic factor for shock wave therapy for tennis elbow

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.1354-1361
• /
• 2023

Objectives: This study reports a clinical case that showed improvement in the symptoms of a patient with acute gastric mucosal lesion (AGML) through ultrasound. Methods: A 90-year-old woman with AGML was treated with Korean medicine treatments, including Hyangsapyeongwisan Soft Ext, acupuncture, and moxibustion. The responses before and after treatment were evaluated using ultrasound imaging and the numerical rating scale (NRS). Results: After treatment, ultrasound imaging showed improvement in gastric mucosa thickness, from 1.45 cm to 0.53 cm at the anterior wall and from 1.25 cm to 0.36 cm at the posterior wall. The NRS scores for epigastric pain, nausea, and dizziness all decreased, and the symptoms of diarrhea disappeared. Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment can be a therapeutic option in treating the symptoms of patients with AGML.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.363-373
• /
• 1995

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare observer performance between conventional radiographs and their digitized images for the detection of bone loss in the bifurcation of mandiblar first molar. One dried human mandible with minimal periodontal bone loss around the first molar was selected and serially enlarged 17 step defects were prepared in the bifurcation area. The mandible was radiographed with exposure time of 0.12, 0.20, 0.25, 0.32, 0.40, 0.64 seconds, after each successive step in the preperation and all radiographs were digitized with IBM-PC/32 bit-Dx compatible, video camera (VM-S8200, Hitachi Co., Japan), and color monitor(Multisync 3D, NEC, Japan). Sylvia Image Capture Board for the ADC(analog to digital converter) was used. The obtained results were as follows: 1. In the conventional radiographs, the mean score of the readability was higher at the condition of exposure time with 0.32 second. Also, as the size of artificial lesion was increased, the readability of radiographs was elevated (P<0.05). 2. In the digital images, the mean score of the readability was higher at the condition of exposure time with 0.40 second. Also, as the size of artificial lesion was increased, the readability of digital images was elevated(P<0.05). 3. At the same exposure time, the mean scores of readibility were mostly higher in the digitized images. As the exposure time was increased, the digital images were superior to radiographs in readability. 4. As the size of lesion was changed, the digital images were superior to radiographs in detecting small lesion. 5. The coefficient of variation of mean score has no significant difference between digital images and radiographs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.65 no.2
• /
• pp.441-458
• /
• 2023

The poultry industry, which produces excellent sources of protein, suffers enormous economic damage from diseases. To solve this problem, research is being conducted on the early detection of infection according to the behavioral characteristics of poultry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of a non-movement behavior observation method to detect sick chickens. Forty 1-day-old Ross 308 males were used in the experiments, and an isolator equipped with an Internet Protocol (IP) camera was fabricated for observation. The chickens were inoculated with Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum A18-GCVP-014, the causative agent of fowl typhoid (FT), at 14 days of age, which is a vulnerable period for FT infection. The chickens were continuously observed with an IP camera for 2 weeks after inoculation, chickens that did not move for more than 30 minutes were detected and marked according to the algorithm. FT infection was confirmed based on clinical symptoms, analysis of cardiac, spleen and liver lesion scores, pathogen re-isolation, and serological analysis. As a result, clinical symptoms were first observed four days after inoculation, and dead chickens were observed on day six. Eleven days after inoculation, the number of clinical symptoms gradually decreased, indicating a state of recovery. For lesion scores, dead chickens scored 3.57 and live chickens scored 2.38. Pathogens were re-isolated in 37 out of 40 chickens, and hemagglutination test was positive in seven out of 26 chickens. The IP camera applied with the algorithm detected about 83% of the chickens that died in advance through non-movement behavior observation. Therefore, observation of non-movement behavior is one of the ways to detect infected chickens in advance, and it appears to have potential for the development of remote broiler management system.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.570-574
• /
• 2013

Background The elliptical excision is the standard method of removing benign skin lesions, such as congenital melanocytic nevi. This technique allows for primary closure, with little to no dog-ear deformity, but may sacrifice normal tissue adjacent to the lesion, resulting in scars which are unnecessarily long. This study was designed to compare the predicted results of elliptical excision with those resulting from our excision technique. Methods Eighty-two patients with congenital melanocytic nevus on the face were prospectively studied. Each lesion was examined and an optimal ellipse was designed and marked on the skin. After an incision on one side of the nevus margin, subcutaneous undermining was performed in the appropriate direction. The skin flap was pulled up and approximated along several vectors to minimize the occurrence of dog-ear deformity. Results Overall, the final wound length was 21.1% shorter than that achieved by elliptical excision. Only 8.5% of the patients required dog-ear repair. There was no significant distortion of critical facial structures. All of the scars were deemed aesthetically acceptable based on their Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale scores. Conclusions When compared to elliptical excision, our technique appears to minimize dogear deformity and decrease the final wound length. This technique should be considered an alternative method for excision of facial nevi.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.129-132
• /
• 1998

Avian coccidiosis is a very important disease of poultry industry. In recent years, many researchers studied for the immunology of avian coccidiosis. Coccidial vaccines have been used at some poultry farms in many countries. In order to evaluate the anticoccidial effects of coccidial vaccine to chicken treated with anticoccidial drugs, 4 week-old chicken were administered anticoccidial drugs and challenged with avian coccidia at 2 weeks after vaccination of coccidia. The body weight gains, lesion scores, oocyst indices and anticoccidial indices of chicken were investigated at the time of vaccination, challenge and necropsy. The body weight gains and feed conversion rates of groups immunized with coccidial vaccine and treated with anticoccidial drugs were moderately higher and lower than those of groups treated with anticoccidial drugs, respectively. The lesion score and oocyst indices of all groups immunized with coccidial vaccine and/or treated with anticoccidial drugs were milder than those of infected control groups. The anticoccidial indices of groups immunized with coccidial vaccine and treated with anticoccidial drugs were moderately higher and lower than those of groups. treated with anticoccidial drugs. But all of the investigated items were not statistically significant.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.502-512
• /
• 2021

Objective: To objectively and subjectively assess and compare the characteristics of monoenergetic images [MEI (+)] and polyenergetic images (PEI) acquired by dual-energy CT (DECT) of patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the images and data of 42 patients with breast cancer who had undergone dual-phase contrast-enhanced DECT from June to September 2019. One standard PEI, five MEI (+) in 10-kiloelectron volt (keV) intervals (range, 40-80 keV), iodine density (ID) maps, iodine overlay images, and Z effective (Z_eff) maps were reconstructed. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were calculated. Multiple quantitative parameters of the malignant breast lesions were compared between the arterial and the venous phase images. Two readers independently assessed lesion conspicuity and performed a morphology analysis. Results: Low keV MEI (+) at 40-50 keV showed increased CNR and SNR_{breast lesion} compared with PEI, especially in the venous phase ([CNR: 40 keV, 20.10; 50 keV, 14.45; vs. PEI, 7.27; p < 0.001], [SNR_{breast lesion}: 40 keV, 21.01; 50 keV, 16.28; vs. PEI, 10.77; p < 0.001]). Multiple quantitative DECT parameters of malignant breast lesions were higher in the venous phase images than in the arterial phase images (p < 0.001). MEI (+) at 40 keV, ID, and Z_eff reconstructions yielded the highest Likert scores for lesion conspicuity. The conspicuity of the mass margin and the visual enhancement were significantly better in 40-keV MEI (+) than in the PEI (p = 0.022, p = 0.033, respectively). Conclusion: Compared with PEI, MEI (+) reconstructions at low keV in the venous phase acquired by DECT improved the objective and subjective assessment of lesion conspicuity in patients with malignant breast lesions. MEI (+) reconstruction acquired by DECT may be helpful for the preoperative evaluation of breast cancer.