• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.16-34
• /
• 2023

Herpes zoster (HZ) results from the reactivation of a varicella-zoster virus infection and is accompanied by moderate-to-severe pain in most patients. The most common treatment is medication; however, there are still limitations. Acupuncture reportedly has meaningful therapeutic effects and is a possible alternative option in HZ. However, no systematic reviews examining the use of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture (EA) alone have been published; in this study, we therefore aimed to systematically review those techniques. We searched for clinical trials of acupuncture and EA treatment for HZ up to October 2022. Trials that used acupuncture were included. Outcomes were visual analog scale (VAS) and effective rate. Secondary outcomes were time to pain relief, time to pain elimination, incrustation, decrustation, lastly incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). In total, 22 randomized controlled trials were included in this research. Compared with conventional medication therapy, acupuncture was associated with a significant improvement in VAS, effective rate, and times to pain relief and elimination. Times to new blister cessation, incrustation, and decrustation (days) were significantly improved. Furthermore, the incidence rate of PHN was lower in acupuncture groups. The results suggest that acupuncture could be a reasonable treatment option for patients with HZ who suffer from pain and accompanying symptoms.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.111-128
• /
• 2023

Trigger finger is a common cause of hand disability that results in finger catching, clicking, or locking. Conventional treatment options such as medication, injection, and surgery have limitations. Studies have indicated that acupuncture and acupotomy can be effective in treating trigger finger. However, no review regarding these treatment modalities has been published yet. This review included randomized controlled trials published until January 2023, investigating acupuncture-related interventions. The primary outcomes of interest included the effectiveness rate (ER) and pain intensity, measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and secondary outcomes were the Quinnell grade (QG) and recurrence rate (RR). Adverse events (AEs) have also been reported wherever available. Overall, 19 studies were included, and results demonstrated that arcedge acupuncture improved the ER and QG and reduced NRS, and acupuncture was effective in reducing VAS. Compared with conventional surgery, acupotomy alone improved the ER and QG and lowered VAS and RR, with relatively fewer AEs. Acupotomy add-on treatment was more effective than conventional treatment; however, careful interpretation is needed for VAS. Acupotomy add-on treatment was more effective than acupotomy alone. However, the overall results must be interpreted with caution because of study quality, small sample size, and heterogeneity of the results.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.181-212
• /
• 2023

Objectives: To examine the efficacy and safety of cupping therapy for insomnia disorder and provide clinical evidence that could contribute to further research. Methods: We searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that verified effects of cupping therapy for insomnia disorder from 11 domestic and foreign databases. Included studies were evaluated using Risk of Bias (RoB). Results: Nineteen RCTs were selected. Wet cupping was more frequently used than dry cupping. Moving cupping was mostly used among dry cupping methods. Dry cupping was mainly performed in Bladder Meridian on the back. Wet cupping was mainly performed on BL18, LR14, and BL15. The most common treatment period was 4 weeks. The average number of treatments per week was about 2.4 times for all types of cupping, about 3.2 times for dry cupping and about 1.9 times for wet cupping. All selected studies showed a significant sleep improvement compared to the control group. As a result of the meta-analysis, in terms of effective rate, SAS score, and SDS score, the wet cupping in combination with acupuncture was significantly more effective than acupuncture alone, although the quality of selected RCTs was low. Conclusions: Cupping therapy is effective for insomnia disorder. Based on results of this study, it is reasonable to use wet cupping two times per week on BL18, LR14, and BL15 or use moving cupping three times per week in Bladder Meridian on the back for 4 weeks to treat insomnia disorder.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.33 no.7
• /
• pp.875-885
• /
• 2023

Volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and isomers of xylenes (BTEX) constitute a group of monoaromatic compounds that are found in petroleum and have been classified as priority pollutants. In this study, based on its newly sequenced genome, we reclassified the previously identified BTEX-degrading thermotolerant strain Ralstonia sp. PHS1 as Cupriavidus cauae PHS1. Also presented are the complete genome sequence of C. cauae PHS1, its annotation, species delineation, and a comparative analysis of the BTEX-degrading gene cluster. Moreover, we cloned and characterized the BTEX-degrading pathway genes in C. cauae PHS1, the BTEX-degrading gene cluster of which consists of two monooxygenases and meta-cleavage genes. A genome-wide investigation of the PHS1 coding sequence and the experimentally confirmed regioselectivity of the toluene monooxygenases and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase allowed us to reconstruct the BTEX degradation pathway. The degradation of BTEX begins with aromatic ring hydroxylation, followed by ring cleavage, and eventually enters the core carbon metabolism. The information provided here on the genome and BTEX-degrading pathway of the thermotolerant strain C. cauae PHS1 could be useful in constructing an efficient production host.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.182-190
• /
• 2023

Elbow traumas represent a relatively common condition in clinical practice. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the most accurate tests for screening these potentially serious conditions and excluding elbow fractures. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the literature concerning the diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for the detection or exclusion of suspected elbow fractures. A systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies (PRISMA-DTA) guidelines. Literature databases including PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Diagnostic Test Accuracy, Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were searched for diagnostic accuracy studies of subjects with suspected traumatic elbow fracture investigating clinical tests compared to imaging reference tests. The risk of bias in each study was assessed independently by two reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 checklist. Twelve studies (4,485 patients) were included. Three different types of index tests were extracted. In adults, these tests were very sensitive, with values up to 98.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 95.0%-99.8%). The specificity was very variable, ranging from 24.0% (95% CI, 19.0%-30.0%) to 69.4% (95% CI, 57.3%-79.5%). The applicability of these tests was very high, while overall studies showed a medium risk of bias. Elbow full range of motion test, elbow extension test, and elbow extension and point tenderness test appear to be useful in the presence of a negative test to exclude fracture in a majority of cases. The specificity of all tests, however, does not allow us to draw useful conclusions because there was a great variability of results obtained.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.171-183
• /
• 2023

Purpose : This study sought to investigate research trends regarding joint mobilization type among patients with shoulder joint diseases. Methods : A scoping review was conducted according to the five steps outlined by Arskey and O'Malley and PRISMA-ScR. We searched six domestic databases (ScienceOn, DBpia, Riss, Kmbase, Kiss, KCI) and three international databases (CINAHL, Pubmed, Cochrane central) between 2013 and June 2023. The keyword terms used were 'joint mobilization', 'Kaltenborn', 'Maitland', 'Mulligan', and 'shoulder joint'. Results : There were a total of 44 studies that investigated the topic, and these were divided into quantitative analysis and topic analysis. In terms of publication year, the number of studies within the last five years has increased more than compared to the previous five years, with most of them being randomized clinical trials. In shoulder joint diseases, it was found that the majority of joint movement studies focused on adhesive joint cystitis and shoulder collision syndrome. The Mulligan concept was the most commonly studied type of joint motion. The dependent variables used included pain, joint function (disability), and muscle function. The visual analog scale was the most commonly used for the pain variable, followed by the numeric rating scale. For joint function and disability variables, range of motion was the most commonly used, followed by shoulder pain and disability index, and disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand. For muscle function, variables such as muscle tone, strength, and activity were used. Conclusion : We believe that findings of this scoping review can serve as valuable mapping data for joint mobilization research on shoulder joint diseases. Further studies including systematic reviews and meta-analyses based on these results are recommended.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.361-369
• /
• 2023

The latissimus dorsi (LD) flap is a reliable option for breast reconstruction. This is particularly true in patients with contraindications to abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction. A systematic review of patient satisfaction and health related quality of life following LD breast reconstruction using the BREAST-Q survey was conducted. The scope of the review was to determine the degree of patient satisfaction following the procedure and to examine how patient satisfaction from the pedicled LD flap compares to other breast reconstructive procedures. A literature search on BREAST-Q in LD flap reconstruction was performed. Only articles written in English and in published peer-reviewed journals were included. Studies with less than 20 patients in their sample and those with a follow-up period of less than 1 year were excluded. Five articles representing 331 patients were reviewed, including one case-control study and four retrospective cohort studies. Level of evidence was either III (4) or IV (1). The average age was 53 with average body mass index of 25. Most reconstructions were delayed (67%) and unilateral (88%), and most patients required radiation (79%). The average length of follow-up was 36 months, and the response rate was 75%. Overall, patients who underwent LD flap reconstruction reported favorable outcomes in satisfaction domains and quality of life domains with few complications. A meta-analysis also demonstrated higher satisfaction in LD flap without implants compared with LD flap with implants. Patient-reported outcomes following LD breast reconstruction compare favorably with other techniques of breast reconstruction.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.153-167
• /
• 2023

Objective: Bipolar disorder displays a spectrum of manifestations, including manic, hypomanic, depressive, mixed, psychotic, and atypical episodes, contributing to its chronic nature and association with heightened suicide risk. Creating effective pharmacotherapy guidelines is crucial for managing bipolar disorder and reducing its prevalence. Treatment algorithms grounded in science have improved symptom management, but variations in recommended medications arise from research differences, healthcare policies, and cultural nuances globally. Methods: This study compares Korea's bipolar disorder treatment algorithm with guidelines from the UK, Australia, and an international association. The aim is to uncover disparities in key recommended medications and their underlying factors. Differences in CYP450 genotypes affecting drug metabolism contribute to distinct recommended medications. Variances also stem from diverse guideline development approaches-expert consensus versus metaanalysis results-forming the primary differences between Korea and other countries. Results: Discrepancies remain in international guidelines relying on meta-analyses due to timing and utilized studies. Drug approval speeds further impact medication selection. However, limited high-quality research results are the main cause of guideline variations, hampering consistent treatment conclusions. Conclusion: Korea's unique Delphi-based treatment algorithm stands out. To improve evidence-based recommendations, large-scale studies assessing bipolar disorder treatments for the Korean population are necessary. This foundation will ensure future recommendations are rooted in scientific evidence.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.9
• /
• pp.3423-3440
• /
• 2023

In this work, a multivariate time-series machine learning meta-model is developed to predict the transient response of a typical nuclear power plant (NPP) undergoing a steam generator tube rupture (SGTR). The model employs Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), including the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and a hybrid CNN-LSTM model. To address the uncertainty inherent in such predictions, a Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) was implemented. The models were trained using a database generated by the Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) methodology; coupling the thermal hydraulics code, RELAP5/SCDAP/MOD3.4 to the statistical tool, DAKOTA, to predict the variation in system response under various operational and phenomenological uncertainties. The RNN models successfully captures the underlying characteristics of the data with reasonable accuracy, and the BNN-LSTM approach offers an additional layer of insight into the level of uncertainty associated with the predictions. The results demonstrate that LSTM outperforms GRU, while the hybrid CNN-LSTM model is computationally the most efficient. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the capabilities and limitations of machine learning models in the context of nuclear safety. By expanding the application of ML models to more severe accident scenarios, where operators are under extreme stress and prone to errors, ML models can provide valuable support and act as expert systems to assist in decision-making while minimizing the chances of human error.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.489-502
• /
• 2022

In this study, a Gaussian process regression (GPR) model as well as six GPR-based metaheuristic optimization models, including GPR-PSO, GPR-GWO, GPR-MVO, GPR-MFO, GPR-SCA, and GPR-SSO, were developed to predict fly-rock distance in the blasting operation of open pit mines. These models included GPR-SCA, GPR-SSO, GPR-MVO, and GPR. In the models that were obtained from the Soungun copper mine in Iran, a total of 300 datasets were used. These datasets included six input parameters and one output parameter (fly-rock). In order to conduct the assessment of the prediction outcomes, many statistical evaluation indices were used. In the end, it was determined that the performance prediction of the ML models to predict the fly-rock from high to low is GPR-PSO, GPR-GWO, GPR-MVO, GPR-MFO, GPR-SCA, GPR-SSO, and GPR with ranking scores of 66, 60, 54, 46, 43, 38, and 30 (for 5-fold method), respectively. These scores correspond in conclusion, the GPR-PSO model generated the most accurate findings, hence it was suggested that this model be used to forecast the fly-rock. In addition, the mutual information test, also known as MIT, was used in order to investigate the influence that each input parameter had on the fly-rock. In the end, it was determined that the stemming (T) parameter was the most effective of all the parameters on the fly-rock.