• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.814-823
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• 2011

Nowadays many neurological diseases such as stroke and Parkinson diseases are continually increasing. Orthotic devices as well as exoskeletons have been widely developed for supporting movement assistance and therapy of patients. Robotic knee orthosis can compensate stiff-knee gait of the paralyzed limb and can provide patients consistent assistance at wearable environments. With keeping a robotic orthosis wearable, however, it is not easy to develop a compact and safe actuator with fast rotation and high torque for consistent supports of patients during walking. In this paper, we propose a novel kinematic model for a robotic knee orthosis to drive a knee joint with independent actuation during swing and stance phases, which can allow an actuator with fast rotation to control swing motions and an actuator with high torque to control stance motions, respectively. The suggested kinematic model is composed of a hamstring device with a slide-crank mechanism, a quadriceps device with five-bar/six-bar links, and a patella device for knee covering. The quadriceps device operates in five-bar links with 2-dof motions during swing phase and is changed to six-bar links during stance phase by the contact motion to the patella device. The hamstring device operates in a slider-crank mechanism for entire gait cycle. The kinematics and velocity/force relations are analyzed for the quadriceps and hamstring devices. Finally, the adequate actuators for the suggested kinematic model are designed based on normal gait requirements. The suggested kinematic model will allow a robotic knee orthosis to use compact and light actuators with full support during walking.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.230-236
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• 2003

Objective : Hemichorea-Hemiballism is a violent, involuntary movement restricted to one side of the body. It is usually associated with stroke, and infrequently associated with infections, drug usage, metabolic derangement, and hyperglycemia. In this study, we performed to evlauate the effects of Saamchimbeop Ganjeonggyeok on the the 1 case of Hemichorea-Hemiballism with diabetes mellitus. Methods : We performed Saamchimbeop Ganjeongyeok which consists of KI10(陰谷), LR8(曲泉), LU8(經渠), LR4(中封). The effect of Saamchimbeop was assessed by comparing the counts of the movements of ankle and metatarsal joint for 1 minutes before and after acupuncture therapy. Results : The hemiballismic movements was reduced after acupuncture therapy. Conclusions : The Saamchimbeop was effective on the patient of Hemichorea-Hemiballism with diabetes mellitus. And Further studies with more population are necessary.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2008

Objectives : Delayed neuronal death(DND) of pyramidal neuronsin the CA1 regions of the hippocampus has been extensively studied following global brain ischemia, whereas little is known about DND in this highly vulnerable brain region after focal brain ischemia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Gastrodiae Elata(GA) pharmacopuncture on hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in rats with focal brain ischemic injury. Materials and methods : The neuroprotective effects of water extracts of GA were investigated in middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAo) of Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats. Seventy-five healthy SD ratswere randomly divided into five groups following MCAo : control group with focal ischemia, saline injection group, pharmacopuncture group GA-1($0.0007mg/m{\ell}/g$), pharmacopuncture group GA-2($0.00035mg/m{\ell}/g$), pharmacopuncture group GA-3($0.00014mg/m{\ell}/g$). Results : The intensity of mGluR5 increased in the GA-1 group. The intensity of Bax and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio decreased in the GA-1 group. The intensity of Bcl-2 increased in all the GA groups. The density of neurons stained by Cresyl violet and ChAT increased in the GA-1 group. Conclusions : Our study suggests that GA pharmacopuncture at $GB_{20}$ showed anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects on cholinergic neuronsin focal cerebral ischemia caused by stroke in SD rats.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.21-29
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the combined exercise program on the static balance ability of the lumbar instability of adults. Methods: The experimental group was divided into two groups and randomly. The experimental group 1 (Exp 1) applied the combined exercise program for the lumbar stabilization exercise and strengthening exercises and the experimental group 2 (Exp 2) applied the combined exercises program for the lumbar stabilization exercises and active stretching exercises. Each experiment group performed exercise program for 4 weeks, 3 times a week, 30 minutes a day. Static balance ability was measured using GOOD BALANCE system. Results: As the comparing results of static balance ability, normal standing eye open was Ant-Post and Med-Lat showed significant differences in Exp 1 (p<.05). One leg left eye open was velocity moment showed significant differences in Exp 1 (p<.05). and one leg right eye open was Med-Lat showed significant differences in Exp 1 (p<.05). Conclusion: These results show that thoracic self mobilization is immediate effective on balance and gait ability. Thus, thoracic self mobilization will help recovery of balance and gait ability in acute stroke patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8113-8117
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• 2016

Glehnia littoralis (GL) is widely used as an oriental medicine for cough, fever, stroke and other disease conditions. However, the anti-cancer properties of GL on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells have not been investigated. In order to elucidate anti-cancer properties and underlying cell death mechanisms, MCF-7cells ($5{\times}10^4/well$) were treated with Glehnia littoralis root extract at 0-400 ug/ml. A hot water extract of GL root inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Analysis of the cell cycle after treatment of MCF-7 cells with increasing concentrations of GL root extract for 24 hours showed significant cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis both revealed that GL root extract significantly increased the expression of p21 and p27 with an accompanying decrease in both CDK4 and cyclin D1. Our reuslts indicated that GL root extract arrested the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in G1 phase through inhibition of CDK4 and cyclin D1 via increased induction of p21 and p27. In summary, the current study showed that GL could serve as a potential source of chemotherapeutic or chemopreventative agents against human breast cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2015

In this paper, unsteady characteristics of pressure in solid rocket motor were analyzed by using response of pintle actuation, pressure and thrust data from ground test. Pressure and thrust in solid rocket motor can be controlled in real time by varying nozzle throat area with pintle, installed in the valve. Unsteady characteristics of pressure can be observed in this system occurred by various reasons. Two critical reasons, error of pintle actuation and ablation of center tube, are found and effects of each reason can be analyzed individually by re-prediction of pressure with response of pintle actuation and analyzing thrust to pressure ratio.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.839-851
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• 2016

The effect of weather on disease was investigated based on results reported in academic papers. Weather-sensitive disease was selected by analyzing the frequency distributions of diseases and correlations between diseases and meteorological factors (e.g., temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed). Correlations between disease and meteorological factors were most frequently reported for myocardial infarction (MI) (28%) followed by chronic ischemic heart disease (CHR) (12%), stroke (STR) (10%), and angina pectoris (ANG) (5%). These four diseases had significant correlations with temperature (meaningful correlation for MI and negative correlations for CHR, STR, and ANG). Selecting MI, as a representative weather-sensitive disease, and summarizing the quantitative correlations with meteorological factors revealed that, daily hospital admissions for MI increased approximately 1.7%-2.2% with each $1^{\circ}C$ decrease in physiologically equivalent temperature. On the days when MI occurred in three or more patients larger daily temperature ranges ($2.3^{\circ}C$ increase) were reported compared with the days when MI occurred in fewer than three patients. In addition, variations in pressure (10 mbar, 1016 mbar standard) and relative humidity (10%) contributed to an 11%-12% increase in deaths from MI and an approximately 10% increase in the incidence of MI, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2012

Purpose: This study examined the influencing factors for metabolic syndrome and the annual medical expenditures of metabolic syndrome among public officials. Methods: The National Health Insurance data in 2009 were collected for 364,932 public officials and the heath examination results and annual medical expenditures were analyzed using PASW 18.0 program. Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is 17.6%, and it was higher in male officials than that of females in all age groups. In men, the influencing factors for metabolic syndrome were: age, family history of stroke, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, and obesity. However, in women, health-related behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and exercise did not affect metabolic syndrome. People who had metabolic syndrome showed significantly higher medical expenditures than those without metabolic syndrome. The odds ratios of having the highest quartile in medical expenditures were 1.372 (95% CI 1.252~1.504, p<.001) in women with metabolic syndrome and 1.213 (95% CI: 1.184~1.243, p<.001) in men. Conclusion: The results implied that health-related behaviors were associated with metabolic syndrome, and resulted in higher medical expenditures. In order not only to decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome but also reduce medical expenditures, nurses should plan health promotion strategies to educate public officials about healthy life strategies.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2009

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is a rare pulmonary vascular anomaly due to an abnormal communication between the pulmonary artery and vein. The most common presenting symptom is a dyspnea on exertion related to this right-to-left shunt. If left untreated, PAVM has been known to result in serious complications. Incomplete pulmonary capillary network can be the cause of cerebral abscesses and other noninfectious neurological complications, such as stroke and transient ischemic attacks due to paradoxic embolism Transcatheter embolotherapy, using coils or balloons, has replaced surgical resection as the treatment of choice for PAVM. However, the risk of device embolization has limited the use of coil embolotherapy, while the size of PAVM is huge. Recently, Amplatzer$^{(R)}$ Vascular Plug has been proposed as an alternative endovascular occlusion device for arteriovenous malformation. We report a case of 81-year-old male patient with a giant PAVM, which was successfully treated by transcatheter embolotherapy using the Amplatzer$^{(R)}$ Vascular Plug.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2015

Objective: Pain is very common in the elderly, so there is a high prevalence of analgesic use among this population. The purpose of this study was to assess patterns of analgesic use and evaluate factors associated with analgesic use in elderly patients. Method: The subjects of this study were patients over 65 years old hospitalized in a teaching hospital located in Chuncheon-si, Korea between January 1, 2014 and March 31, 2014. Data collection regarding analgesic prescriptions and baseline characteristics was conducted using computerized hospital database by medical information team. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors related to analgesic use. Results: A total of 2,394 patients were finally included. Among these patients, 700 (29.2%) took analgesics; 521 (74.4%) out of these 700 patients were received opioid analgesics and 179 (25.6%) were received only non-opioid analgesics. The most frequently prescribed opioid analgesic was pethidine (45.7%), and the most frequently prescribed non-opioid analgesic was acetaminophen (44.1%). Fracture was associated with increased odds of opioid analgesic prescriptions (OR = 2.766, 95% CI = 2.019-3.790, p < 0.001) and any analgesic prescriptions (OR = 2.394, 95% CI = 1.766-3.244, p < 0.001). Stroke or cerebral infarction was associated with decreased odds of opioid analgesic prescriptions (OR = 0.636, 95% CI = 0.471-0.858, p = 0.003). Conclusion: A significant proportion of hospitalized elderly patients use analgesics. Health care professionals should consider factors associated with analgesic use in this population to improve pain management.