• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.110-122
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• 2022

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare and progressive illness with a devastating prognosis. Promising research efforts have advanced the understanding and recognition of the pathobiology of pulmonary hypertension. Despite remarkable achievements in terms of improving the survival rate, reducing disease progression, and enhancing quality of life, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is not completely curable. Therefore, an effective treatment strategy is still needed. Recently, many studies of the underlying molecular mechanisms and technological developments have led to new approaches and paradigms for PAH treatment. Management based on stem cells and related paracrine effects, epigenetic drugs and gene therapies has yielded prospective results for PAH treatment in preclinical research. Further trials are ongoing to optimize these important insights into clinical circumstances.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.281-285
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• 2012

Objective : Occipital neuralgia is characterized by paroxysmal jabbing pain in the dermatomes of the greater or lesser occipital nerves caused by irritation of these nerves. Although several therapies have been reported, they have only temporary therapeutic effects. We report the results of pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the occipital nerve, which was used to treat occipital neuralgia. Methods : Patients were diagnosed with occipital neuralgia according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders classification criteria. We performed pulsed radiofrequency neuromodulation when patients presented with clinical findings suggestive occipital neuralgia with positive diagnostic block of the occipital nerves with local anesthetics. Patients were analyzed according to age, duration of symptoms, surgical results, complications and recurrence. Pain was measured every month after the procedure using the visual analog and total pain indexes. Results : From 2010, ten patients were included in the study. The mean age was 52 years (34-70 years). The mean follow-up period was 7.5 months (6-10 months). Mean Visual Analog Scale and mean total pain index scores declined by 6.1 units and 192.1 units, respectively, during the follow-up period. No complications were reported. Conclusion : Pulsed radiofrequency neuromodulation of the occipital nerve is an effective treatment for occipital neuralgia. Further controlled prospective studies are necessary to evaluate the exact effects and long-term outcomes of this treatment method.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2000

Peptic ulcer is involved with Helicobacter pylori infection and antibiotic regimens are primary treatments. An optimal therapeutic regimen for eradication of Helicobacter pylori remains uncertain due to variable efficacy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of omeprazole based antibiotic regimens in bacterial eradication, healing of peptic ulcer and to identify factors affecting efficacy. Seventy-seven patients were enrolled in the prospective, open-trial from November 1997 to Setember 1998. H. pylori infection was identified with endoscopy, H. pylori stain and rapid urease test. The first group (OAC7) received omeprazole 20 mg twice daily for 4 weeks which were the same schedule for all, amoxicillin and clarithromycin 500 mg three times daily for 1 week; the second group (OAC14), for 2 weeks on the same regimen as the first; and the last group (OACD) has taken bismuth in addition to the OAC7 regimen for 1 week. Eradication of H. pylori and healing of peptic ulcer were evaluated with endoscopy and tests for H. pylori before and after treatments. There were no significant differences in eradication rates; 77% in OAC7, 76% in OAC14, 81% in OACD (p=0.935) and healing rates; 82% in OAC7, 71% in OAC14, 95% in OACD (p=0.179), respectively. Compliance had an relationship with eradication rates significantly among regimens (p=0.049). Twenty three cases (29%) complained of the minor side effects. In conclusion, OAC7 was better in convenience of dosing schedule and showed fewer side effects with shorter duration and lower cost while There were no significant differences in efficacy among regimens.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2008

Purpose: Patients who underwent a coronary artery bypass graft surgery(CABG) experienced the unpleasant emotions and discomfort when their chest tube was removed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of cold therapy on pain related to chest tube removal(CTR) in CABG patients. Methods: Fifty adult patients undergoing CABG were recruited in a prospective, double blinded study. Subjects were divided into the experimental group and the control group considering their sex and age. The pretest data were obtained 20 minutes before CTR. Patients in the experimental group, received cold therapy for 10 minutes before CTR. Pain sense and intensity were determined immediately after CTR and at 10 minutes after CTR. Results: The total score of pain sense immediately after CTR of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group(t=-3.703, p=.003). And scores of pain intensity immediately after CTR in the experimental group were significantly lower than that of the control group(t=-3.073, p=.001). But, there was no significant difference in the score of pain intensity 10 minutes after CTR between the experimental and the control group(t=1.759, p=.085). Conclusion: The cold therapy would be recommended as an effective and nonpharmacologic nursing intervention for relieving pain in patients undergoing CTR.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5161-5166
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• 2014

Our aim was to access the association between recreational physical activity (RPA) and risk of ovarian cancer (OC). The studies were retrieved from the PubMed and Embase databases up to February 20th, 2014. Risk ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate effect sizes. Random-effects or fixed-effects models were used to pool the data. The trim and fill method was applied for sensitivity analysis. Begg's rank correlation test and Egger's regression asymmetry test were employed to assess the publication bias. A total of 6 studies (435398 participants including 2983 OC patients) were included in this meta-analysis. The overall estimate indicated that there was weakly inverse association between RPA and OC risk (RR=0.90, 95%CI: 0.72-1.12, p=0.335). Meanwhile, for prospective cohort studies, a result consistent with the overall estimate was obtained (RR=1.12, 95% CI: 0.88-1.42, p=0.356). However, for case control studies, the pooled estimate of RR was 0.76 (95%CI: 0.64-0.90, p=0.002), indicating a clear significant association between RPA and OC risk. In addition, the sensitivity analysis indicated a significant link between RPA and risk of OC after removing Lahmann's study (RR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.68-0.93, p=0.004). No significant publication bias was found (Begg's test: p=1.00; Egger's test: p=0.817). In conclusion, our meta-analysis indicated a weakly inverse relationship between RPA and the occurrence of OC.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.407-416
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• 2005

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for cardiac surgery induces the production and release of numerous chemotactic substances and cytokines, ensuing systemic inflammatory response that causes postoperative major organ dysfunctions. We performed a randomized, prospective study to investigate clinical effects of preoperative treated-methylprednisolone for preventing inflammation in pediatric cardiac surgery with CPB. Thirty pediatric patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were randomized to either control(n=15) or steroid group (n=15, 10 mg/kg of methylprednisolone). Arterial blood samples were taken before and after the operations for measuring total leukocyte (T-WBC) and differential counts, platelet counts, interleukin-6 (IL-6), myeloperoxidase (MPO), neuron specific enolase (NSE), troponin-I (TNI), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine levels. Postoperative parameters such as pulmonary index (PI, $PaO_2/FiO_2$), 24 hrs and total bleeding volumes, mechanical ventilating (MVP) and intensive care unit (ICU)-staying periods, and hospitalization were assessed. T-WBC, neutrophil fraction, IL-6, MPO, NSE, TNI, AST and creatinine levels, bleeding volumes, PI, and MVP at the postoperative periods were lower or shorter in steroid group than in control group (P<0.05). These findings indicated that preoperative administration of methylprednisolone attenuated CPB-induced inflammatory reactions, contributing to postoperative recovery of patients underwent cardiac surgery.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.59-64
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• 2015

Objectives : This study aims to evaluate current clinical evidence of traditional Korean medicine treatment on wrist pain with carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods : Ten Korean databases were searched for prospective clinical trials of traditional Korean medicine therapy on wrist pain with carpal tunnel syndrome from the time of their inception to February, 2015. Studies conducted in Korean, Chinese and English were searched. Risk of bias in included non-randomized controlled trials was assessed by the Cochrane handbook procedure. Results : Four non-randomized controlled trials were included. A high risk of bias was observed in all trials. All of the included studies reported favorable effects being experienced by an intervention group compared to a baseline or control group. Included studies never described any occurrence of adverse events. Conclusions : There is no evidence that traditional Korean medicine treatments are effective for treating wrist pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. All of the included studies lacked appropriate methodological qualities and internal validity. Future well-designed clinical trials that evaluate the effects and safety of traditional Korean medicine treatment for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome are needed.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.206-215
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to verify the predictive validity of Comprehensive Korean Frailty Instrument (CKFI) among older adults. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study was conducted. Frailty was determined in older adults (N=9,188) according to the data in 2008 and the effects of frailty on adverse outcomes (such as institutionalization and death) were evaluated according to the data in 2011. The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) index was used to compare with the predictive validity of CKFI. Results: The prevalence of frailty was 26.3%. With the CKFI, the frail group had a higher risk of negative health outcomes compared to the robust and pre-frail groups after three years. The two of the highest risks identified using the CKFI and CHS index were institutionalization (5.522 times higher) and mortality (3.210 times higher). For both instruments, the survival analysis revealed that the risk of death increased as the degree of frailty increased. Conclusion: The CKFI consisting of self-report items and multidimensional aspects of frailty can be used as a simple instrument for assessing the frailty of older adults residing in a local community in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.49-59
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• 2009

Purpose: Examination was done of the effects on unplanned extubation, oral mucosa, and facial skin integrity in patients with oral intubation secured with a new method using Multifix Endo II. Methods: A prospective quasai-experimental design was used. Data were collected during a 3-week EICU admission period between Jun. 1 and Nov. 30. Two hundreds seventeen (conventional taping group: 105, Multifix Endo II group: 112) orally intubated adults were enrolled in the study at the EICU of the C University Hospital. Results: The incidence of unplanned extubation (${\chi}^2=11.580$, p=0.03) and scores for the facial skin integrity impairment of the Mutifix Endo II group (t=5.28, p=.000) were significantly lower than those of the conventional taping group even though the scores for oral mucosa impairment were not different. The nurse's evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of the two methods including convenience, comfort, safety, and satisfaction were also higher for the new securement method compared to the conventional taping group. Conclusion: The securement method using Mutifix Endo II was more effective than the conventional method in the prevention of unplanned extubation and maintenance facial skin integrity.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.91-109
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• 2024

Carbon nanotubes are drawing wide attention of research communities and several industries due to their versatile capabilities covering mechanical and other multi-physical properties. However, owing to extreme operating conditions of the synthesis process of these nanostructures, they are often imposed with certain inevitable structural deformities such as single vacancy and nanopore defects. These random irregularities limit the intended functionalities of carbon nanotubes severely. In this article, we investigate the mechanical behaviour of double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) under the influence of arbitrarily distributed single vacancy and nanopore defects in the outer wall, inner wall, and both the walls. Large-scale molecular simulations reveal that the nanopore defects have more detrimental effects on the mechanical behaviour of DWCNTs, while the defects in the inner wall of DWCNTs make the nanostructures more vulnerable to withstand high longitudinal deformation. From a different perspective, to exploit the mechanics of damage for achieving defect-induced shape modulation and region-wise deformation control, we have further explored the localized longitudinal and transverse spatial effects of DWCNT by designing the defects for their regional distribution. The comprehensive numerical results of the present study would lead to the characterization of the critical mechanical properties of DWCNTs under the presence of inevitable intrinsic defects along with the aspect of defect-induced spatial modulation of shapes for prospective applications in a range of nanoelectromechanical systems and devices.