• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.413-419
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• 2020

Eosinophilia occurs commonly in many diseases including allergic diseases and helminthic infections. Toxocariasis has been suggested as one cause of eosinophilia. The present study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia and to identify the risk factors for toxocariasis. This prospective cohort study recruited a total of 81 patients with eosinophilia (34 males and 47 females) who visited the outpatient clinic at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2017 to February 2018 and agreed to participate in this study. The prevalence of toxocariasis was examined by T. canis-specific ELISA, and the various risk factors for toxocariasis were evaluated by a questionnaire survey. Among 81 patients with eosinophilia, 18 were positive for anti-T. canis antibodies (22.2%); 88.9% were male (16/18) and 11.1% were female (2/18). Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that males (OR 21.876, 95% CI: 1.667-287.144) with a history of consuming the raw meat or livers of animals (OR 5.899, 95% CI: 1.004-34.669) and a heavy alcohol-drinking habit (OR 8.767, 95% CI: 1.018-75.497) were at higher risk of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia. Toxocariasis should be considered a potential cause of eosinophilia when the patient has a history of eating the raw meat or livers of animals in Korea. A single course of albendazole is recommended to reduce the migration of Toxocara larvae in serologically positive cases with eosinophilia.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.399-407
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• 2001

Objectives : To investigate the current status of hospital-based health promotion programs in Korea and to elucidate the factors which affect to the process of implementation. Methods : We conducted a mail survey of all 875 hospitals in Korea from March to May 2001. In reference to 12 specific kinds of health promotion programs, hospital CEOs were asked whether their hospital have such programs, whether they are fully staffed and whether the program is paid for by the patients. Contextual factors(location, hospital type, number of beds, length of operation, public/private status, economic level of the community, the level of competition) and organizational factors (the extent of market, compatibility with vision, formalization), strategic types of the CEOs (defender/analyser/prospector) were also surveyed. The relationships between each variable and the implementation of health promotion services, activation of services, and the target groups(patient/community resident) were analyzed by univariate analysis and the independent effects of these variables were examined with multiple logistic regression. Results : 100 of 125 hospitals responding (84.8%) had mere than one health promotion program. However, they showed fluctuations in the adoption rate of each programs, meaning that comprehensive health promotion services were not provided. Many programs were not fully staffed and few hospitals had paid programs. In factors affecting health promotion service implementation, private hospitals showed a higher rate in implementation than public hospitals. In contrast, when the competition among nearby hospitals was intense, the level of implementation of service lowered. In the strategic type of the CEOs, the prospectors were shown to have instituted more health promotion programs in their hospitals and the analysers had a greater tendency to have programs for community residents than the defenders. Conclusion . Considering the above results, contextual factors may contribute greatly to the introduction of health promotion services in Korean hospital, although the CEO's personal preference and organizational factors play a larger role in the activation of services. Additionally, the CEO's personal preference may be the major influencing factor in the introduction of programs for community residents.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 2011

Objects: In July 2 2010, a diarrhea outbreak occurred among the workers in a company in Gyeungju city, Korea. An epidemiological investigation was performed to clarify the cause and transmission route of the outbreak. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey among 193 persons, and we examined 21 rectal swabs and 6 environmental specimens. We also delegated the Daegu Bukgu public health center to examine 3 food service employees and 5 environmental specimens from the P buffet which served a buffet on June 30. The patient case was defined as a worker of L Corporation and who participated in the company meal service and who had diarrhea more than one time. We also collected the underground water filter of the company on July 23. Results: The attack rate of diarrhea among the employees was 20.3%. The epidemic curve showed that a single exposure peaked on July 1. The relative risk of attendance and non-attendance by date was highest for the lunch of June 30 (35.62; 95% CI, 2.25 to 574.79). There was no specific food that was statistically regarded as the source of the outbreak. $Bacillus$ $cereus$ was cultured from two of the rectal swabs, two of the preserved foods and the underground water filter. We thought the exposure date was lunch of June 30 according the latency period of $B.$ $cereus$. Conclusions: We concluded the route of transmission was infection of dishes, spoons and chopsticks in the lunch buffet of June 30 by the underground water. At the lunch buffet, 50 dishes, 40 spoons, and chopsticks were served as cleaned and wiped with a dishcloth. We thought the underground water contaminated the dishes, spoons, chopsticks and the dishcloth. Those contaminated materials became the cause of this outbreak.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2020

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review needling depth and location of LU7, BL62 and KI6 by the medical classics' records. Methods : 1. We researched the medical classics describing LU7, KI6 and BL62, and reorganized data about the location and needling depth. 2. We compared the medical classics' records on LU7, KI6 and BL62 with description of WHO standard acupuncture point location. 3. We reviewed different location and needling depth of LU7, BL62, and KI6 recorded in the medical classics with the anatomical structure. Results : 1. The common needling depth of LU7 is about 0.2 chon. But in some medical classics, the depth of LU7 is 0.8 chon. Needling depth of LU7 varied depending on the patient's hand posture. In the 'half-up' position with the thumb upward, it is possible to stimulate acupuncture on LU7 by 0.8 chon because there is a space between the tendons. 2. In WHO standard acupuncture point location, the locations of BL62 and KI6 are just below the lateral and medial malleolus. But in some medical classics, the locations of BL62 and KI6 are between the bones and muscles below the malleolus. In the locations between the bones and muscles below the malleolus, it is possible to stimulate acupuncture on BL62 and KI6 by penetrating acupuncture because there is no bone structure. Conclusions : 1. By the 'half-up' position with the thumb upward, it is possible to stimulate vertically acupuncture on LU7 by 0.8 chon. 2. By the locations of BL62 and KI6 between the bones and muscles below the malleolus, it is possible to stimulate on BL62 and KI6 by penetrating acupuncture.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 2004

Purpose: This research aims to assess the effect of a single session of group education of hospice program at Seoul National University Hospital for the advanced and terminal cancer patients and their family members. Methods: Response to questionnaires from 89 participants were evaluated using SAS and CHISQ analysis. The questionnaires included the following items: 1) the characteristics of participants; 2) the characteristics of patients; 3) the difficulties of patient care; 4) the satisfaction with the program Results: The participants consist of 33 patients (37.5%) and 56 family members (56.2%). Diagnosis included mainly stomach, lung, breast, and colon cancer. Participants of family members consisted of spouse, parent, children, daughter-in-law, and siblings (in decreasing order). The participants were interested in the medical information, nutrition, pain and symptom management, and psychosocial adaptation. They had difficulties in emotional problem, nutrition and symptom management. Even though it was a single session of group education, the level of satisfaction was high (95%). Conclusion: This research shows that even the single session of the group education for the advanced and terminal cancer patients and their family members is very helpful by giving them the necessary information. In order to develop comprehensive care-giving services, more specific informations, more opportunities to participate in such sessions and longer question-answer time is required.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 1995

The transarterial embolization has been widely used to control bleeding. It has a variety of clinical utility; to reduce bleeding on the surgical field, to reduce the size of malignant tumor as a preopearative treatment, to treat arteriovenous malformation or arterial aneurysm as a curative method and to promote life quality of patient with diffuse or multiple hepatocellular carcinoma as a palliative treatment, etc. With the advance of modem technology, various embolic materials have been also developed. However, it has not been fully investigated of histopathologic changes of the embolized organs according to the embolic materials used. This study was undertaken to investigate the histopathologic changes of embolized renal artery in rabbit by various embolic materials, according to each embolic material and to time passed by after embolization. Of the 5 arteries embolized by ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer(EVAL), one showed abscess formation in embolized kidney. The other 4 allowed to perform further pathologic study: within a week after embolization there was no any specific change in vessels, however, minimal endothelial hypertrophy was observed following 2 weeks of embolization. Of the 8 renal arteries embolized by N-buthyl-2-cyanoacrylate(Histoacryl), 4 showed total occlusion of the main renal arteries as well as renal infarction, which reflects the strong adhesiveness of Histoacryl to vascular wall. The other 4 showed fibrinoid degeneration in vascular wall within a week. However, further change was not observed thereafter. In all the 5 renal arteries embolized by polyvinyl alcohol(Ivalon), there were infiltration of inflammatory cells along the vessel walls, within one week, which represents vasculitis. They showed some fibrosis with appearance of giant cells in the vessel wall two weeks after embolization and also showed marked fibrosis of connective tissues surrounding vessels two months after embolization, respectively. The results suggest that EVAL is useful for the embolization of hypervascular lesion with limited arteriovenous fistula, Histoacryl for the curative treatment of the lesion with high blood flow or severe arteriovenous fistula, and Ivalan for palliative treatment of malignant tumor or arteriovenous malformation, respectively.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.8.1-8.14
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• 2018

We previously demonstrated that the direct transplantation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) into the dentate gyrus ameliorated the neurological symptoms of Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1)-mutant mice. However, the clinical presentation of NPC1-mutant mice was not fully understood with a molecular mechanism. Here, we found 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-EET), a cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolite, from hUCB-MSCs and the cerebella of NPC1-mutant mice and investigated the functional consequence of this metabolite. Our screening of the CYP2J family indicated a dysregulation in the CYP system in a cerebellar-specific manner. Moreover, in Purkinje cells, CYP2J6 showed an elevated expression level compared to that of astrocytes, granule cells, and microglia. In this regard, we found that one CYP metabolite, 14,15-EET, acts as a key mediator in ameliorating cholesterol accumulation. In confirming this hypothesis, 14,15-EET treatment reduced the accumulation of cholesterol in human NPC1 patient-derived fibroblasts in vitro by suppressing cholesterol synthesis and ameliorating the impaired autophagic flux. We show that the reduced activity within the CYP system in the cerebellum could cause the neurological symptoms of NPC1 patients, as 14,15-EET treatment significantly rescued cholesterol accumulation and impaired autophagy. We also provide evidence that the intranasal administration of hUCB-MSCs is a highly promising alternative to traumatic surgical transplantation for NPC1 patients.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.30 no.1_2
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• pp.139-151
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• 2018

Objectives : A self-made "Tomotherapy couch device" capable of correcting the Yaw direction was fabricated and evaluated for its usefulness. Materials and Methods : "Tomotherapy couch device" capable of correcting the Yaw direction is made of rigid fibreboard with a flexural strength of $200kg/cm^2$. CBCT Image from Novalis Tx and Iso-Align Phantom from MED-TEC were used to evaluate the physical accuracy. The treatment plan was designed using Accuray $Precision^{TM}$ and In House Head and Phantom. Accuray $PrecisionART^{TM}$ and $Precision^{TM}$ was used to evaluate dose. Results : Evaluation results, the self-fabricated device accurately corrected the setup error, Target dose was within 95 %~107 % of all. In order to directly evaluate the OAR dose according to the Yaw change, the absolute dose was measured. As a result, when the error in the Yaw direction was $3^{\circ}$, the specific OAR showed a maximum difference of 18.4 %. Conclusion : "Tomotherapy couch device" capable of correcting the Yaw direction can be manufactured at a lower cost compared to the effect, and it can prevent the patient's MVCT image dose for re-imaging. Accurate radiation therapy without errors can be performed.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.200-212
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• 2007

Purpose: To find objective validity of minimal acupuncture using a modified guide tube as a method to verify the effect of acupuncture. Methods: Subjects of this study were participants of a randomized clinical trial which was practiced to verify the effect of acupuncture on postmenopausal hot flash. There were 2 arms of treatment, one's for active acupuncture group(AG) with manipulation and De qi, the other's for minimal acupuncture group(MG) using a modified guide tube which was designed to give minimal stimulation to the patient. After 8 weeks' treatment followed by 4 weeks' observation, participants were asked to fill in self-report forms on their education, previous experiences of acupuncture, original idea on the efficacy of acupuncture and recognition of blinding. Results: 19 participants of 26 in AG and 19 of 26 in MG completed the self-report form. There was no difference between AG and MG in their education(p=0.5976, Fisher exact test) and previous experiences of acupuncture(p=0.9999, Fisher exact test). In their original ideas on the efficacy of acupuncture, most of AG and MG respondents have been thought that acupuncture is very effective or quite effective, and there was no difference between 2 groups(p=0.5065). 16 of 19 in AG and 14 of 19 in MG believed that they underwent more effective way, there was no statistical difference between 2 groups(p=0.6928, Fisher exact test). Participants believed in undergoing more effective way not because they recognized treatment method, but they were satisfied with the effectiveness of treatment retrospectively. Conclusion: As the result of this study, these authors suggest that minimal acupuncture using a modified guide tube is acceptable as a method to verify the effect of acupuncture in acupuncture-familiar Korean culture. Also further studies on the stimulation-specific effect of minimal acupuncture are demanded.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.45-56
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• 2012

Objective : This study was done to investigate the correlation between general quality of life(QOL) and disease specific QOL of tinnitus patients. Methods : 2009 National health and nutrition survey(NHNS) data were employed for analyzing the mean estimates of total population and tinnitus sub-group patients, and predicting the regression equation of mapping between EQ-5D and disease severity. Baseline statistical analyses and normality tests were done by using Student t-test, Chi-square test, Shapiro-Wilk test and ladder test. Hierarchial regression analyses were performed using related variables and predicted the optimal regression equations. Statistical significance was achieved if the probability was less than 5%. Results : Firstly, the standardized prevalence of tinnitus patient in South Korea was 18.69% and over 90th age-group was relatively higher than other groups. Mean value of domestic QOL measured by EQ-5D was estimated as 0.9486 and QOL of tinnitus subgroup(0.9169) was lower than the non-tinnitus subgroup(0.9559), significantly. Stratified by age and sex, QOLs of all sub-groups with tinnitus were lower than without tinnitus sub-groups significantly. Regression equations from 2009 NHNS data were developed using hierarchial regression analysis which is as follows. $$Y_{EQ-5D}=0.9224-0.0079{\times}T1-0.0261{\times}T2-0.0951{\times}T3+\sum_{i=1}^{n}{\beta}_i{\times}X_i\\{\hspace{95}}(0.0106){\hspace{3}}(0.0037){\hspace{30}}(0.0072){\hspace{30}}(0.0038)$$ ($X_i$=Other explanatory variables except Tinnitus QOL1, 2, 3, ${\beta}$= Regression Coefficient of Model 4) Conclusion : We confirmed the correlation among THI and EQ-5D and HUI-III, and developed the inference for regression equation of EQ-5D.