• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.235-256
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• 1998

Currently, alternative medicine is highly utilized in the western countries. The public as well as health care practitioners have been paying a considerable attention to alternative medicine. This rapid growth in alternative medicine in many western countries suggests a high degree of public dissatisfaction with the limitations of orthodox medicine and concern over the side effects of chemical drugs. There is also a widespread recognition of the growing financial, social and personal cost for orthodox medicine. In addition, there is a growing need for a less fragmented, more participative and humane approach compared with contemporary medicine. Alternative medicine, which is based on holistic approach and lead to less expensive health care, may have the potential to playa significant role in overcoming the limitations of orthodox medicne in the western country. In this context, this study explores the recent trends of research on alternative medicine in western countries, particularly U.S.A. The study can provide us with valuable information on the types, training and education, utilization, insurance coverage, and regulation of alternative medicine in the western countries, thus offer important policy implications for the improvement of the korean health care system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.137-149
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• 2020

Background: Opioids are a class of drugs found in the opium poppy, and used primarily as a pain reliever. About 130 people die every day from opioid abuse in the U.S., and the number of deaths was 6 times higher than it was 20 years ago. Objectives: To derive the implications on Korean Medicine(KM), this study aimed to investigate the current state of opioids abuse in the U.S. and analyze cases to solve opioids abuse using acupuncture. Methods: Literature on opioids abuse in the U.S. were searched through the websites of government, agency, and research institute. Results: There were several cases using acupuncture on opioids abuse. First, the Act on the use of acupuncture was enacted. Second, the clinical practice guidelines by the American College of Physicians recommended using acupuncture. Third, a large clinical study was conducted on whether acupuncture could replace opioids. Fourth, Vermont and Washington State conducted pilot projects on insurance coverage of acupuncture. Conclusions: As opioids issues are also valid in Korea, KM can serve a critical role in pain management to pursue expanded insurance coverage. In order to do so, building the discourses of KM in opioid issues is critical by defining its medical advantage, conducting large-scale clinical researches and implementing pilot projects to tackle social problems.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.165-174
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• 2004

This research develops a technique which uses energy dissipation ratio in order to monitor the structural health on real time basis. For real-time monitoring, we employ the NExT and the ERA which enable us to obtain real-time data. Energy dissipation ratio is calculated from those data only with the damping and natural frequency of the structure, and from the calculated values we develop an algorithm (Energy dissipation method) which decides the damage degree of structure. The Energy dissipation method developed in this research is proved to be valid by comparison with other methods like the eigenparameter method and the MAC. Especially this method enables us to save measuring time and data which are the most important in real-time monitoring, and its use of the ambient vibration also makes it easy to monitor the whole structure and its damage points.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.10-13
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• 2014

In oriental medicine, the pulse beats are important signals that may let us know the conditions of one's health and disease. In other words, doctors of oriental medicine can simply analyze pulse waves anywhere and anytime to treat patients without using high-priced medical appliances. However, they are largely subjective in interpreting the pulse rates and hence their reliability is far from being perfect. The current paper aims to solve this problem by using fuzzy inference rules in judging patients' health status and to develop a software kit of intelligent electronic needles.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.209-213
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• 2008

Following the Anthrax bioterrorism attacks in the US in 2001, the Korean government established comprehensive countermeasures against bioterrorism. These measures included the government assuming management of all infectious agents that cause diseases, including smallpox, anthrax, plaque, botulism, and the causative agents of viral hemorrhagic fevers (ebola fever, marburg fever, and lassa fever) for national security. In addition, the Korean government is reinforcing the ability to prepare and respond to bioterrorism. Some of the measures being implemented include revising the laws and guidelines that apply to the use of infectious agents, the construction and operation of dual surveillance systems for bioterrorism, stockpiling and managing products necessary to respond to an emergency (smallpox vaccine, antibiotics, etc.) and vigorously training emergency room staff and heath workers to ensure they can respond appropriately. In addition, the government's measures include improved public relations, building and maintaining international cooperation, and developing new vaccines and drugs for treatments of infectious agents used to create bioweapons.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 1992

The objective of this study is to investigate the generation rates, composition, propertion and lower heating values of each material in the municipal solid wastes(MSW) as well as the effect of landfill leachate on the environment in Taejon. The results are as follows: 1. The annual average generation rate of MSW in Taejon is approximately 1.7kg/c.d. 2. The weight percent of combustible matters is on average 80 and the lower heating value of MSW is measured to be more than 1,700 kcal/kg after removing the briquette component. 3. It is necessary for us to take a proper management system for leachate treatment in the landfill because it has many problems in the sewage and groundwater. 4. It is recommeded that MSW be treated by multiple methods such as the sanitary landfill, resources and recovery, composting and incineration.

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.3-16
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• 1985

Necessity of life insurance is stronger for people who feel some anxiety of their health. However, in fact, it is not permitted for them to get a contract, because life insurance stands on the mutual benefit system. Life insurance must be impartial to all applicants. However, it is very reasonable that an applicant, who has high medical impairment like heart infarction or cancer, is rejected, to have a contract by underwriting decision. On the other hand, if his medical impairment is not so severe, we might accept his application by giving some restriction. Numericalratingsystem by hunter-rogers gave us one of solutions to this problem. We can keep impartiality by using more restrictive decision, in order that we demand additional payment to the impairment applicant according to his mortality. We call this system as substandard life insurance. In this system we need detail information about impairments of applicants in order to decide the condition of substandard risks. Therefore, medical examiners are required to have high diagnostic technique.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.21-24
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• 2006

The ubiquitous presence of lactoferrin(LF) receptor in human as reported by the research group of Prof. Bo Lonnerdal, Univ. California (Suzuki, Y. A.,2001) encouraged us to search for the unknown physiological roles of Lf. Under the collaboration with Prof. Etsumori Harada, Tottori Univ., and his research group, we have found two novel biological activities of LF as the control of the lipid metabolism and the effect on the central nervous system. Relating to the lipid metabolism, LF could, in animal experiments, reduce triglyceride and total cholesterol both in blood and liver (Takeuchi, T et αl., 2003). LF increased plasms HDL-C and lowered LDL-C. In the central nervous system, LF showed anti-nociceptive activity mediated by ${\mu}$-opioid receptor in the rat spinal cord (Hayashida, K. et al., 2003). LF enhanced analgesic action of morphine synergistically via nitric oxide synthesis (Hayashida, K., et al., 2003) LF showed opioid-mediated suppressive effect on distress induced by maternal separation in rat pups (Takeuchi, T., et al., 2003).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1069-1078
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• 2012

This study was performed to evaluate the asbestos exposure levels and to calculate excess lifetime cacer risks(ELCRs) in asbestos-containing buildings for maintenance and management. The range of airborne asbestos concentration of 33 buildings was 0.0018 ~ 0.0126 f/cc and one site exceeded indoor air-quality recommended limit 0.01 f/cc. And ELCRs based on US EPA IRIS(Integrated risk information system) model are 1.5E-06 ~ 3.9E-05 levels, and there was no site showed 1.0E-04 (one person per million) level or more, and 11 sites showed 1.0E-05 (one person per 100,000 people) level or more. To prevent the release of asbestos fibers, it needs operation and maintenance of asbestos-containing building materials, and there are some methods such as removal, repairment, enclosure and encapsulation. In conclusion, a risk-based air action level for asbestos in air is an appropriate metric for asbestos-containing building management.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 2008

This study investigated social relief schemes for serious adverse drug reactions in foreign countries and deduced lessons and implications for Korea to implement the scheme. A social relief scheme for serious adverse drug reactions provides reliefs for diseases and such health effects as disabilities or deaths that were caused by adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals prescribed at hospitals and clinics as well as those purchased at pharmacies notwithstanding their proper use. The US and the UK do not have specific relief schemes for adverse drug reactions but apply rules of strict liability or negligence. New Zealand and Nordic countries provide no-fault compensation schemes for health effects or injuries caused by medical treatments or medicinal products. Japan and Taiwan have operated the schemes since 1980 and 2000, respectively. In designing the scheme in Korea, we suggested that cases eligible for relief be confined to serious adverse reactions such as death or disability and then extended to diseases. It is desirable to encourage the reporting system of adverse drug reactions and quality use of medicines for the relief scheme to work efficiently.