• Journal of Sleep Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.37-42
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• 2018

Objectives: To assess the effect and safety of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in primary chronic insomnia. Methods: A one-month, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial was performed. A total of 7 patients with primary chronic insomnia received tDCS using anodal (n=3), cathodal (n=2), or sham stimulation (n=2). They were followed up at 1 week and 1 month after treatment. The primary outcome measures included improvement in total sleep time (TST), sleep latency (SL), and sleep efficiency (SE) at 1 month follow-up. Results: TST and SE were improved with tDCS at 1 month follow-up in all patients (100%) of the anodal group, one (50%) of the cathodal group, and one (50%) of the sham group. tDCS improved SL at 1 month follow-up in two patients (67%) of the anodal group, one (50%) of the cathodal group, and none (0%) of the sham group. With respect to adverse events, transient itching sensation occurred in one patient of the anodal group. None of the other groups reported adverse events. Conclusions: Our results suggest that tDCS may be effective and safe for treatment of primary chronic insomnia. A larger controlled study needs to be further investigated.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2021

■ Background Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction(HFpEF) is a heart failure that appears to have normal contraction function. In the case of HFpEF, no pharmacological therapy has been found to improve clinical prognosis, so it should be approached as an symptomatic treatment, therefore alternatives are needed due to concerns over adverse effects such as electrolyte imbalance caused by medication. ■ Case report A 81 year old female patient with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction(HFpEF) patient complained dyspnea. Herbal prescription Mokbanggi-tang and Oryeongsan was administered on 6th day and 8th day respectively since the symptoms started. The NYHA Classification and Chest X-ray had been evaluated during the treatment period. Until the 7th day, the patient was classified as Class II, and when discharged from the hospital on the 28th day, it gradually improved and was classified as Class II. Chest X-Ray took on 2nd day showed pleural effusion and it was aggravated until 13th day. Follow up Chest X-Ray showed improving state of pleural effusion from 20th day and gradually got better. Mokbanggi-tang treatment continued for 52 days and stopped on 58th day. After Mokbanggi-tang treatment ended, only Oryeongsan treatment was maintained. ■ Conclusion The present case report suggests that Korean-Western medicine approach with Mokbangki-tang and Oryeongsan might be effective to pleural effusion and heart failure symptoms such as poor physical activity shown in a NYHA Classification. This shows that Mokbanggi-tang and Oryeongsan can be a therapeutic option as a treatment for patient with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction(HFpEF).

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.53-60
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• 2013

Objectives : DojukSan is known to be effective for treating a urinary diseases and stomatitis. However, there has been a lack of studies regarding the effects of Dojuksan on the inflammatory activities and effector inflammatory disease mechanism about macrophage before is not known. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of Dojuksan water extract (DJS) on pharmacological and biochemical actions in inflammation, we examined the effect of DJS on pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. Methods : In the present study, pro-inflammatory cytokine production was determined by performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis to measure the activation of MAPKs. Cells were treated with 200 ng/mL of LPS 1 h prior to the addition of DJS. Cell viability was measured by MTS assay. The investigation focused on whether DJS inhibited nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 ($PGE_2$) productions, as well as the expressions of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Results : We found that DJS inhibited LPS-induced NO, $PGE_2$ and IL-6 productions as well as the expressions of iNOS and COX-2. Furthermore, DJS suppressed the LPS-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and c-Jun NH2-protein kinase (JNK). Conclusions : These results suggest that DJS has inhibitory effects on LPS-induced $PGE_2$, NO, and IL-6 production, as well as the expressions of iNOS and COX-2 in the murine macrophage. These inhibitory effects occur through blockades on the MAPKs phosphorylation.

• Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.190-208
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• 2018

Objectives To initiate and develop a treatment guideline in multidisciplinary approaches for related professions who are either working and/or living with children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders who show behavioral problems. Methods To collect and reflect opinions from multiple professions who assumedly have different interventions or mediations on behavioral problems, a self-report survey and Focus Group Interview (FGI) were conducted for a group of child and adolescent psychiatrists, behavioral therapists, special education teachers, social welfare workers, and caregivers. Results According to a self-report survey and FGI results from multiple professional groups, aggressive behavior is the mostly common behavioral problem necessitating urgent interventions. However, both mainly used intervention strategies and effective treatment methods were different depending on professional backgrounds, such as pharmacological treatment, parent training, and behavior therapy, even though they shared an importance of improving communication skills. In addition, there was a common understanding of necessity to include parent training in a guideline. Lastly the data suggested lack of proper treatment facilities, qualified behavior therapists, and lack of standardized treatment guideline in the field needed to be improved for a quality of current therapeutic services. Conclusion It is supported that several subjects should be included in the guidelines, such as how to deal with aggressive behavior, parent training, and biological aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders. Also, it is expected that publishing the guideline would be helpful to above multiple professions as it is investigated that there are lack of treatment facility and qualified behavioral therapists compared to need at the moment.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.212-227
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• 2000

This study was designed to testify the reliability and validation on the Korean version of the Social Adaptation Self-rating Scale(SASS) which was developed from Bose et al. for the evaluation of social motivation and behavior of depressed patients in 1997. Interests for the social world, those of social functioning, of patients were involved in the addition of new measure of disturbance. And those were distinct from abnormalities of thought, mood and symptoms of patients with major depression. As the previous reports there were several evidences that treatments may be less likely to be effective if the system they act on is dysfunctional. Thus, a better social situation favoured better outcome. As a matter of fact, however, those reports were developed in the course of the evaluation of interpersonal therapy(IPT) and cognitive therapy. Accordingly the conversed question -whether pharmacological therapy with antidepressants can impact on social functioning in addition to addressing the core features of illness- has been addressed. To date, anyhow, it is accepted that enhancement of social functioning may be a therapeutic principle in its own right and illness rarely divorced from social context. In terms of those concepts the introduction of an assessment of social functioning into pharmacotherapeutic studies of depression has been welcomed and might be a potent instrument for evaluating the relative pharmacoeconomic benefits of different treatments. Despite of many scales which were applied for the evaluation of symptoms in the patients with depression, however, the scale for the evaluation of social functiong has not been introduced in Korea yet. Thus, this study was designed to introduce the concepts of social functioning in the patients with depression and to testify the reliability and validation on Korean version of SASS. This Korean version of SASS was submitted to a reliability and validation procedure based on the data from healthy general population survey in 291 individuals and 40 patients with major depression. Cronbach a was 0.790 in total subjects group and the correlation of test-retest was statistically significant(y=0.653, p<0.0l). Thus, the Korean version of SASS might be shown to be valid and reliable. The results of multivariate analyses allowed the identification of 3 principle factors(factor 1 = intersts in social activities, factor 2 = active interpersonal relationship, factor 3 = selfesteem) in normal group, however, it could be counted as only one factor in the depression group because nearly total items of SASS were involved in factor 1. In the view of these results, the Korean version of SASS may be useful additional tool for the evaluation of social functioning in depression.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2007

Objectives : Considering the impact of depressive illness on physical and mental health of both mother and fetus, specification of a treatment algorithm for depressive disorder during pregnancy is legitimated. This article provides a systemic review of treatments for depressive disorder during pregnancy and lactation. Methods : According to the search strategy of the Clinical Research Center for Depression of Korean Health 21 R & D Project, PubMed and EMBASE were searched using terms with regard to the treatment of depressive disorders during pregnancy and lactation. Reference lists of related reviews and studies were searched. In addition, relevant practice guidelines were searched using the PubMed. All identified clinical literatures were reviewed and summarized in a narrative manner. Results : Pharmacotherapy during pregnancy and lactation requires a comprehensive assessment of the risks and benefits of treatment for both mother and fetus or neonate. Recently, there is growing evidence that the use of tricyclic and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy and lactation does not result in increased risks of teratogenicity. Treatment strategies are described according to the point of time of pregnancy or lactation. FDA categories for antidepressants during pregnancy and lactation are described. In addition, issues regarding to the electroconvulsive therapy and psychosocial treatment are discussed. Conclusion : The treatment option for depressive disorders during pregnancy and lactation depends on the severity of depressive illnesses of the individual patient. For mild to moderate depression, the non-pharmacological treatment should be considered first. For moderate to severe depression, pharmacotherapy should be administered in addition to the psychosocial treatment. ECT is recommended for depressive disorder of severe intensity. As the research knowledge is limited, the recommendations should based on the best judgement of psychiatrists.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.818-826
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• 2021

5-Aminolevulinic acid phosphate (5-ALA-p) is a substance obtained by eluting 5-ALA (a natural delta amino acid) with aqueous ammonia, adding phosphoric acid to the eluate, and then adding acetone to confer properties suitable for use in photodynamic therapy applications. However, its pharmacological efficacy, including potential mechanisms of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory reactions, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 5-ALA-p on oxidative and inflammatory stresses in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Our data showed that 5-ALA-p significantly inhibited excessive phagocytic activity via LPS and attenuated oxidative stress in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, 5-ALA-p improved mitochondrial biogenesis reduced by LPS, suggesting that 5-ALA-p restores mitochondrial damage caused by LPS. Additionally, 5-ALA-p significantly suppressed the release of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6, which are associated with the inhibition of inducible NO synthase and respective cytokine expression. Furthermore, 5-ALA-p reduced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and inhibited phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), indicating that the anti-inflammatory effect of 5-ALA-p is mediated through the suppression of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Based on these results, 5-ALA-p may serve as a potential candidate to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.