• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2012

Purpose : To compare the enhancement pattern of normal facial nerves on 3D-FLAIR and 3D-T1-FFE-F) sequences at 3.0 T MR units. Materials and Methods: We assessed 20 consecutive subjects without a history of facial nerve abnormalities who underwent temporal bone MRI with contrast enhancement between January 2008 and March 2009. Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed pre-/post-enhanced 3D-T1-FFE-FS and 3D-FLAIR images respectively with 2-week interval to assess the enhancement of normal facial nerves divided into five anatomical segments. The degree of enhancement in each segment was graded as none, mild or strong, and the results of 3D-FLAIR and 3D-T1-FFE-FS image sets were compared. Results: On 3D-FLAIR images, one of the two reviewers observed mild enhancement of the genu segment in two (10%) subjects. On 3D-T1-FFE-FS images, at least one segment of the facial nerve was enhanced in 13 (65%) subjects. At least one reviewer found that 17 of the 100 segments showed enhancement on 3D-T1-FFE-FS images, with the mastoid segment being the most commonly enhanced. Interobserver agreement on 3D-T1-FFE-FS images was good for enhancement of the normal facial nerve (${\kappa}$= 0.589). Conclusion: In contrast to 3D-T1-FFE-FS, normal facial nerve segments rarely showed enhancement on 3D-FLAIR images.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2006

Purpose : There are many patients with cold hypersensitivity who want oriental medicine treatment. But there has been no study of acupucture treatment effect on patients. So we examined effects of acupuncture treatment at different acupuncture points and compared results of 1st cold stress test and 2nd cold stress test. Method : 8 patients with hand cold hypersensitivity applied for this study. To rule out an bias, we excluded the patients with skin diseases, spinal nerve disease of cervial spine, external wounds. We measured body temperature with D.I.T.I. We performed cold stress test(CST) by 6 thermographic observation using D.I.T.I ; the 1st was taken after 15 minutes-resting, the 2nd was immediately taken after 1 minute soak in $20^{\circ}C$ water, the 3rd was taken at 10 minutes after the soak, and after a week, the 4th was taken after 15 minutes resting, the 5th was immediately taken after 1 minute soak in $20^{\circ}C$ water, the 6th was taken after 10 minutes with acupunture treatment. There were two groups of patients. First group was acupuncture that performed acupuncture therapy on distal points. Second group was acupuncture that performed acupuncture therapy on proximal points. We compared first CST and second CST recovery rate result. Results : The recovery rate at distal points acupuncture therapy was higher than before of that. but not significantly different. The recovery rate at proximal points acupuncture therapy was significantly higher than before of that. The recovery rate of both the back, the palms, all fingers of after proximal acupuncture therapy was significantly higher than before of that. Conclusions : Acupuncture could be effective therapy method on cold hypersensitivity, especially using proximal acupuncture points could be good at cold hypersensitivity patients. This was pilot study of very small samples, results had limitations. For further results more examine would be needed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.405-411
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• 2012

The spontaneous axon regeneration of damaged neurons is limited after spinal cord injury (SCI). Recently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation was proposed as a potential approach for enhancing nerve regeneration that avoids the ethical issues associated with embryonic stem cell transplantation. As SCI is a complex pathological entity, the treatment of SCI requires a multipronged approach. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the functional recovery and therapeutic potential of human MSCs (hMSCs) and polymer in a spinal cord hemisection injury model. Rats were subjected to hemisection injuries and then divided into three groups. Two groups of rats underwent partial thoracic hemisection injury followed by implantation of either polymer only or polymer with hMSCs. Another hemisection-only group was used as a control. Behavioral, electrophysiological and immunohistochemical studies were performed on all rats. The functional recovery was significantly improved in the polymer with hMSC-transplanted group as compared with control at five weeks after transplantation. The results of electrophysiologic study demonstrated that the latency of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs) in the polymer with hMSC-transplanted group was significantly shorter than in the hemisection-only control group. In the results of immunohistochemical study, ${\beta}$-gal-positive cells were observed in the injured and adjacent sites after hMSC transplantation. Surviving hMSCs differentiated into various cell types such as neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. These data suggest that hMSC transplantation with polymer may play an important role in functional recovery and axonal regeneration after SCI, and may be a potential therapeutic strategy for SCI.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.37
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• pp.30.1-30.7
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• 2015

Background: The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) may be injured during extraction of the mandibular third molar, causing severe postoperative complications. Many methods have been described for evaluating the relative position between the mandibular third molar and the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) on panoramic radiography and computed tomography, but conventional radiography provides limited information on the proximity of these two structures. The present study assessed the benefits of three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) prior to surgical extraction of the mandibular third molar, to prevent IAN damage. Methods: This retrospective study included 4917 extractions in 3555 patients who presented for extraction of the mandibular third molars. The cases were classified into three groups, according to anatomical relationship between the mandibular third molars and the IAC on panoramic radiography and whether 3D-CT was performed. Symptoms of IAN damage were assessed using the touch-recognition test. Data were compared using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. Results: Among the 32 cases of IAN damage, 6 cases were included in group I (0.35 %, n = 1735 cases), 23 cases in group II (1.1 %, n = 2063 cases), and 3 cases in group III (0.27 %, n = 1119 cases). The chi-square test showed a significant difference in the incidence of IAN damage between groups I and II. No significant difference was observed between groups I and III using Fisher's exact test. In the 6 cases of IAN damage in group I, the mandibular third molar roots were located lingual relative to the IAC in 3 cases and middle relative to the IAC in 3 cases. The overlap was ${\geq}2mm$ in 3 of 6 cases and 0-2 mm in the remaining 3 cases. The mean distance between the mandibular third molar and IAC was 2.2 mm, the maximum distance 12 mm, and the minimum distance 0.5 mm. Greater than 80 % recovery was observed in 15 of 32 (46.8 %) cases of IAN damage. Conclusions: 3D-CT may be a useful tool for assessing the three-dimensional anatomical relationship and proximity between the mandibular third molar and IAC in order to prevent IAN damage during extraction of mandibular third molars.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2 s.30
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• pp.9-16
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• 1995

Forty four patients with Bell's palsy were treated with acupuncture from onset and clinical observation was carried on from March 1994 through Feburary 1995. Acupuncture treatment was done 3 times per week and the acupuncture points were LI4 Hapkok, ST36 Choksamni, LI20 Yonghyang, BL2 Ch'anjuk, TE17 Yep'ung, ST4 Chich'ang, ST6 Hyopko, GV26 Sugu, CV24 Sungjang, GB14 Yangbaek and Ex-HN4 Oyo. They were inserted to a depth of 0.5 to 1.0 cm. After insertion, manipulation was carried on until the patients felt strong numbness or De Qi sensation induced by rotating or twisting needles. Through-needling in lengths varying from 2.0 to 3.5 cm was also applied from ST4 Chich'ang to ST6 Hyopko, from GV26 Sugu or CV24 Sungjang to ST4 Chich'ang and from GB14 Yangbaek to Ex-HN4 Oyo. The mean age was 39.3 and 63.6% of the patients were women, including one pregnant woman. There was no recurrent palsy in this study. By applying the House-Brackmann facial nerve grading scales, patients were evaluated weekly from the first treatment to judged recovery or the 7th week of the treatment. 86.4% of the patients were recovered completely within 7 weeks and the average healing period was 3.7 weeks.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2016

Purpose: To analyze the feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) diffusion-weighted (DW) PSIF (reversed FISP [fast imaging with steady-state free precession]) sequence in order to evaluate peripheral nerves in the elbow. Materials and Methods: Ten normal, asymptomatic volunteers were enrolled (6 men, 4 women, mean age 27.9 years). The following sequences of magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the elbow were obtained using a 3.0-T machine: 3D DW PSIF, 3D T2 SPACE (sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolution) with SPAIR (spectral adiabatic inversion recovery) and 2D T2 TSE (turbo spin echo) with modified Dixon (m-Dixon) sequence. Two observers used a 5-point grading system to analyze the image quality of the ulnar, median, and radial nerves. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of each nerve were measured. We compared 3D DW PSIF images with other sequences using the Wilcoxon-signed rank test and Friedman test. Inter-observer agreement was measured using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis. Results: The mean 5-point scores of radial, median, and ulnar nerves in 3D DW PSIF (3.9/4.2/4.5, respectively) were higher than those in 3D T2 SPACE SPAIR (1.9/2.8/2.8) and 2D T2 TSE m-Dixon (1.7/2.8/2.9) sequences (P < 0.05). The mean SNR in 3D DW PSIF was lower than 3D T2 SPACE SPAIR, but there was no difference between 3D DW PSIF and 2D T2 TSE m-Dixon in all of the three nerves. The mean CNR in 3D DW PSIF was lower than 3D T2 SPACE SPAIR and 2D T2 TSE m-Dixon in the median and ulnar nerves, but no difference among the three sequences in the radial nerve. Conclusion: The three-dimensional DW PSIF sequence may be feasible to evaluate the peripheral nerves around the elbow in MR imaging. However, further optimization of the image quality (SNR, CNR) is required.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.847-854
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• 2016

Background and Objective: The Korean agricultural population is now rapidly aging. Older people in rural areas are weak due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this case is to report treatment of injuries to the nerves at the wrist and hand level by Korean medicine. Methods: The patient in this case was a 74-year-old male. He had injured nerves at the right wrist and hand level due to agriculture work. We treated him with acupuncture, herbal medicine, etc. Results: The patient showed the first sign of recovery of his wrist after 13 days treatment. After 37 days of treatment, his wrist movement was restored to a nearly normal range. He showed the first sign of recovery in a finger after 19 days of treatment and his grasping power increased from 0% to 60%. The cold sensation in his hand and arm also disappeared. Conclusions: We cannot generalize based only on this one case study. Nevertheless, this report suggests that Korean medicine may be an effective treatment for injury of nerves at the wrist and hand level.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.155-163
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• 2005

Objectives : This is a clinical report about neurogenic bladder patient with lumbar disc hernication. Neurogenic bladder is a dysfunction that results from interference with the normal nerve pathways associated with urination. Hypotonic (flaccid) neurogenic bladder can be caused by ruptured or herniated intervertebral disk. Methods : The patient was treated by Oriental medicine treatment with needle acupuncture, electropuncture, bee venom acua-acupuncture and Daeboonchungeum-gami etc. Voided volume and frequency, visual analogue scale and physical examination was used to estimate the efficacy of these treatment. Results : STZ As using these treatments, voided volume and frequency returns normal condition. Visual analogue scale dips as low as 2. Physical examination showed improvement as compared with the fist visit. And further, these treatment may influence on the recovery of neurogenic bladder patient with lumbar disc herniation. Conclusion : The results suggest that Oriental medicine treatment have an useful effect on neurogenic bladder patient's treatment and recovery.

• Asian Spine Journal
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.998-1009
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• 2018

Study Design: Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from rat olfactory mucosa were cultured, characterized, and transplanted into a rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI). Purpose: To evaluate different doses of OECs in a rat model of SCI. Overview of Literature: SCI causes permanent functional deficit because the central nervous system lacks the ability to perform spontaneous repair. Cell therapy strategies are being explored globally. The clinical use of human embryonic stem cell is hampered by ethical controversies. Alternatively, OECs are a promising cell source for neurotransplantation. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of allogenic OEC transplantation in a rat model of SCI. Methods: OECs were cultured from the olfactory mucosa of Albino Wistar rats; these cells were characterized using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Rats were divided into five groups (n=6 rats each). In each group, different dosage ($2{\times}10^5$, $5{\times}10^5$, $10{\times}10^5$, and >$10{\times}10^5$) of cultured cells were transplanted into experimentally injured spinal cords of rat models. However, in the SCI group, only DMEM (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium) was injected. Rats were followed up upto 8 weeks post-transplantation. The outcome of transplantation was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) scale; motor-evoked potential studies; and histological examination. Results: Cultured cells expressed 41% of p75NTR, a marker for OEC, and 35% of anti-fibronectin, a marker for olfactory nerve fibroblast. These cells also expressed $S100{\beta}$ and glial fibrillary acid protein of approximately 75% and 83%, respectively. All the transplanted groups showed promising BBB scores for hind-limb motor recovery compared with the SCI group (p<0.05). A motor-evoked potential study showed increased amplitude in all the treated groups compared with the SCI. Green fluorescent protein-labeled cells survived in the injured cord, suggesting their role in the transplantation-mediated repair. Transplantation of $5{\times}10^5$ cells showed the best motor outcomes among all the doses. Conclusions: OECs demonstrated a therapeutic effect in rat models with the potential for future clinical applications.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.177-188
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• 2023

Purpose : To identify trends in studies on the intersection of neurofeedback (NF) training and rehabilitation interventions for patients with stroke, as conducted over the past decade. Methods : This review included studies published from 2012 to 2022. A comprehensive database search was conducted using keywords such as "stroke", "electroencephalogram (EEG)", "brain wave", "nerve feedback", and "upper extremity function". Results : A total of 703 studies were initially retrieved. Of these, literature predating 2012, duplicate literature, non-experimental studies, and studies that did not target patients with stroke were excluded. After this screening, we retrieved the full texts of 15 articles and re-checked whether each study met the inclusion criteria of this study. The advisory members who participated in this study consisted of people with doctoral degrees and more than 5 years of clinical experience related to the rehabilitation of patients with stroke. Disagreements were resolved through discussions. Ultimately, 8 papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Despite differences in the type and duration of NF training, the combination of NF training and rehabilitation intervention was found to be effective in promoting the functional recovery of the upper extremities, eliciting positive EEG changes, and inducing neurological changes in the brain. Conclusion : A meta-analysis involving a wider search range is needed in future studies. In addition, efforts are required to generalize the clinical application of these interventions. This can be achieved by supplementing the research methodologies through extensive review studies that encompass a diverse array of study designs.