• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.30-45
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• 2009

Background: The safety of herbal products is an important issue in Korea. It is more complicated because of the concomitant use of conventional western drugs and herbal medicine, including prescribed medicine, folk herbs and food supplements. Although both western and traditional Korean medical doctors have studied on the safety of HMP, their results did not show relevant or consistent conclusions because of the poor quality of studies, including bias. Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the studies in Korea related to drug induced liver injury (DILI) systematically. We tried to estimate the proportion of causative materials of DILI and evaluate the clinical difference of DILIs from different materials. Methods: Systematic searches were performed on MedRIC and MEDLIS in Korea. The extraction of data as well as selective screening of the studies was carried out independently by two of the authors. There were no restrictions on the types of publication, including grey literature. Results: Twenty-one articles were included. Of them only 7 adapted prospective design and only 6 were published in peer-reviewed journals. The proportion of conventional drugs associated with hepatotoxic injuries in all DILI ranged from 15.8% to 83.3% and that of herbal medicine was from 28.9% to 44.7%. However, the criteria for herbal medicine were not clearly defined and concomitant medications were not fully investigated in most studies. There were limited objective data in the clinical differences of liver injuries from different materials and their results were conflicting. Conclusions: The causality assessments regarding DILI of herbal medicine were not performed properly and causative materials were misclassified in most of the studies published in Korea. These make the safety issue still ambiguous because of the limitations and lack of objectivity of the studies. More rigorous studies are required for clearly addressing these conflicting issues with cooperative investigation between traditional Korean and western medicine.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-39
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• 2011

In animal studies, Magnesium (Mg) - incorporated oxidized implants showed significant enhancement of the bone response. This prospective clinical trial was performed to investigate the success rate, implant stability and marginal bone loss of Mg oxidized clinical implant. The experimental protocol was approved by Institutional Review Board of the Gangneung-Wonju National University Dental Hospital. Fifty healthy patients had partial edentulism were included in this study. Mg oxidized clinical implants (Implant M, Shinhung, Korea) were installed and restored with conventional protocol. The patients were recalled at 1, 3, 6 months after functional loading. Implant stability quotient (ISQ) was measured and periapical radiographic images were obtained. Amount of marginal bone loss was calculated with calibrated images from periapical radiographs. Repeated measured analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey test were used to compare the mean ISQ and bone level. A total of 101 implants were analyzed. The mean ISQ values increased continuously with time lapse from 68.4 at fixture installation to 71.5 at 6 months after loading. Implant stability was correlated with gender, fixture diameter, bone quality and implant sites. The mean marginal bone loss during 6 months after loading was 0.26 mm. There was no failed implant and six-month success rate was 100%. Within the limitations of this study, the six-month success rate of Mg oxidized implant was satisfactory. The implant stability and marginal bone level were excellent. However, further longer clinical studies will be needed to confirm the success of Mg oxidized clinical implant.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2012

Breast MRI is the most accurate adjunctive to the mammography for the screening of breast cancer. Despite lack of randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of MRI screening, it is now recommended for the women at high risk for breast cancer by the American Cancer Society and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network based on several prospective observational studies. In Korea, a retrospective study reported that preoperative MRI screening of the contralateral breast in women with unilateral breast cancer was associated with reduced metachronous cancer incidence. To introduce breast MRI as a supplemental modality to screening mammography in Korea, standardization and education of interpretation, establishment of MR-guided biopsy and adequate indication, and evaluation of cost-effectiveness and should be preceded.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.258-264
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• 2012

Purpose: This review aims at introducing 3 modeling approaches classified into 3 categories based on the purpose (estimation or prediction), structure (linear or non-linear) and phase (steady-state or dynamic-state); 1) statistical approaches, 2) kinetic modeling and 3) mechanistic modeling. We hope that this review can be a useful guide in the model-based approach of calcium metabolism as well as illustrates an application of engineering tools in studying biosystems. Background: The meaning of biosystems has been expanded, including agricultural/food system as well as biological systems like genes, cells and metabolisms. This expansion has required a useful tool for assessing the biosystems and modeling has arisen as a method that satisfies the current inquiry. To suit for the flow of the era, examining the system which is a little bit far from the traditional biosystems may be interesting issue, which can enlarge our insights and provide new ideas for prospective biosystem-researches. Herein, calcium metabolic models reviewed as an example of application of modeling approaches into the biosystems. Review: Calcium is an essential nutrient widely involved in animal and human metabolism including bone mineralization and signaling pathways. For this reason, the calcium metabolic system has been studied in various research fields of academia and industries. To study calcium metabolism, model-based system analyses have been utilized according to the purpose, subject characteristics, metabolic sites of interest, and experimental design. Either individual metabolic pathways or a whole homeostasis has been modeled in a number of studies.

• 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.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2012

Male breast cancer is a very rare disease with an incidence of about 0.5-1% comparing with the one of female breast cancer but relatively little is known about its cause. Treatment strategies for breast cancer in males are derived from studies performed among females. The probable reasons behind the frequent, late diagnoses presented at stages III or IV might be the lack of awareness. The rarity of the disease precludes large prospective randomized clinical trials. This study reviews male breast cancer and its risk factors, recommendations for diagnosis and the management of patients with male breast cancer.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.259-267
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• 2016

Work-related musculoskeletal injuries and disorders (WMSD) are a significant issue in the health care sector. Allied Health professionals (AHP) in this sector are exposed to physical and psychosocial factors associated with increased risk of developing a WMSD. Clarification of relevant hazard and risk factors for AHP is needed to improve understanding and inform WMSD risk management. A systematic analysis of the literature was undertaken to determine prevalence and risk factors for WMSD in AHP. Databases of Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL (EBSCO), EMBASE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were reviewed. This quality of articles was low. Outcome measures were varied, with prevalence rates of WMSD reported from 28% to 96% over a one-year time period. The lower back was the most commonly affected body part. Relevant factors identified with the development of WMSD included inexperience in the role and area of employment. Future research needs to focus on undertaking high quality prospective studies to determine the factors associated with WMSD development in AHP.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 1999

This study was prospectively conducted to investigate any relationship of nutritional status at the time of admission to length of hospital stay and mortality. All patients admitted to the Asan Medical Center between October 13 and November 12, 1997 who met the study criteria were included in the study. Patients were classified as Not-at-risk, At-risk Ⅰ or At-risk Ⅱ based on the levels of serum albumin and total lymphocyte count in a computerized nutrition screening program. Sixty three percent of the patients were classified as Not-at-risk Group, 29% as At-risk Group Ⅰ and 8% as At-risk Group Ⅱ. Significant correlation was observed between nutritional status and LOS (P＜0.01) as well as mortality rate (P＜0.05). The more the patient had the nutritional risk factors, the longer the LOS and the higher the mortality rate were. Further studies have to be done in order to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of medical therapy for the malnourished hospitalized patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.360-365
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• 2000

The completely edentulous patient has few treatment options in conventional dentistry. When implants are considered, treatment plans range from a 2-implant overdenture to a completely implant-supported prosthesis. Fixed prosthesis is often the preferred selection of the edentulous patient. fixed full-arch cert amo-metal restorations can be a predictable implant treatment modality for the edentulous patient. Implant-supported fixed prosthesis has several advantages: predictability, fixedness, retrievability, improved function, lower maintenance of prosthesis, long-term published success. Edentulous patients with a severely resorbed mandible often experience problems with their dentures. Treatment concepts involving two to four implants for the support of an overdenture have been proposed. There seems to be no need to insert more than two endosteal implants to support an overdenture, however, long-term prospective studies are needed to support this notion. Using short endosseous implants and an overdenture in the extremely resorbed mandible is a justified treatment option because of the relative simplicity and low morbidity of this treatment strategy. Implant-supported overdenture has several advantages: Cost, retrievability, hygiene access, profile and contour control, increased retention and stability, implant installed in a predicted region(ant. mandible).

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate several risk factors related to re-ulceration of diabetic foot including psychosocial aspects such as familial support and degree of independence of patients' activity. Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records and performed telephone interview with eighty-five patients who had a history of hospitalization in our hospital due to diabetic foot ulceration from year 2002 to 2010. Based on the collected data, we analyzed several factors such as age, gender, prevalence duration, accompanying diseases, HbA1c level, degree of independence and familial support. Results: The mean age was 61.4 years and most common in the 4th decade. There were 57 cases (67%) of recurrence, predominance of male. Eleven patients with recurrent diabetic foot ulceration had undergone major amputations. Psychosocial problems such as depression, insufficient familial support and mortality were more frequently observed in recurrent group. Conclusion: This study shows that psychosocial factor such as familial support for patient with diabetic foot could be important to reduce the recurrence rate of diabetic foot ulceration. Therefore, we should pay attention to strategic plans for prevention, screening, treatment, and aftercare through the prospective studies including psychosocial risk factor in diabetic foot ulceration.