• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 1985

Twenty-four cases of pituitary adenoma, 13 males and 11 females with the age ranging from 11 to 65 years, received radiation therapy(RT) on the pituitary area with 6MV linear accelerator during past 25 months at the Division of Radiation Therapy, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical College. Of 24 cases of RT, 20 were postoperative and 4 primary. To evaluate the effect of RT, we analysed the alteration of the endocrinologic tests, neurologic abnormalities, major clinical symptoms, endocrinologic changes and improvement in visual problems after RT. The results were as follows ; 1. Major clinical symptoms were headache, visual defects, diabetes insipidus, hypogonadisms and general weakness in decreasing order of frequency. 2. All but the one with Nelson's syndrome showed abnormal neuroradiologic changes in the sella turcica with an invasive tumor mass around supra· and para-sellar area. 3. Endocrinological classifications of the patient were 11 prolactinoma, 4 growth hormone -secreting tumors, 3 ACTH-secreting tumors consisting of one Cushing's disease and two Nelson's syndrome, and 6 nonfunctioning tumors. 4. Eleven of 14 patients, visual problems were improved after treatment but remaining 3 were unchanged. 5. Seven of 11 prolactinomas returned to normal hormonal level after postoperative and primary RT and 3 patients are being treated with bromocriptine (BMCP) but one lost case. 6. Two of 4 growth hormone·secreting tumor returned to normal level after RT but the remaining 2 are being treated with BMCP, as well.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.209-226
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to analyze and find out key success factors and marketing strategies of Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. The major success factors of Bumrungrad Hospital are as follows; First, Bumrungrad Hospital had professional medical team and board of directors who had the international career. Second, Bumrungrad was supported by Thai government and they were in a cooperative relationship with each other for the development of the medical industry. Third, Bumrungrad appropriately handled the internal and external changes including Asia Financial Crises in 1997 and others. Fourth, Bumrungrad diversified and broaden its business field such as global medical investing and management, medical technology, anti-age medicine and wellness. Marketing strategies of Bumrungrad analyzed are the following four factors. First, Bumrungrad focused on the quality of services by employing professional medical staffs, who have the international certification, and by constructing IT system for hospital management. Second, Bumrungrad has maintained an equalized price policy to attract the customers bothin the domestic and foreign markets. The cost for care has appealed the foreign customers for its comparatively low price, but it focused mainly on the upper middle class in Thailand. Third, it established, managed, and consulted hospitals in the foreign countries including the Philippines and the Arab Emirates. Fourth, it adopted differentiated promotion strategies suitable for the special needs of domestic and foreign customers, and put emphasis on the buzz marketing.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.47-50
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• 2013

An ultra-fast generic LC-MS/MS method was developed for high-throughput quantification of discovery pharmacokinetic (PK) samples and its reliability was verified. The method involves a simple protein precipitation for sample preparation and the analysis by ultra-fast generic LC-MS/MS with the ballistic gradient program and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. Approximately 290 new chemical entities (NCEs) (over 10,000 samples) from 5 therapeutic programs were analyzed. The calibration curves showed good linearity in the concentration range of 1, 2 or 5 to 2000 ng/mL. No significant ion suppression was observed in the elution region of all the NCEs. When approximately 300 plasma samples were continuously analyzed, the peak area of internal standard was constant and reproducible. In the repeated analysis of samples, the plasma concentrations and the area under the curve (AUC) were consistent with the results from the first analysis. These results showed that the present ultra-fast generic LC-MS/MS method is reliable in terms of selectivity, sensitivity, and reproducibility and could be useful for high-throughput quantification and other bioanalysis in drug discovery.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Arctigenin is the main active ingredient of Fructus Arctii, which has been reported with a variety of therapeutic activities including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-virus, and anti-obesity effects. In this study, a simple and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of arctigenin in rat plasma. The assay utilized a simple protein precipitation with methanol and the mobile phase consisted of 100% methanol and water containing 0.1% formic acid (65:35 v/v). Arctigenin and the internal standard (psoralen) were monitored using a positive electrospray turbo ionspray mode with multiple reaction monitoring transitions of m/z $373.2{\rightarrow}136.9$ and m/z $187.2{\rightarrow}130.9$, respectively, and total chromatographic run time was within 5 min. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of arctigenin was 5 ng/mL in the rat plasma. The intra- and inter-day accuracy of arctigenin at LLOQ and matrix-matched quality control samples ranged 97.4 - 104.8% and 97.2 - 102.0%, respectively. The intra-day precision was within 4.80% and the inter-day precision was within 5.92%. Application of the present method was demonstrated through a pharmacokinetic study after intravenous and oral administration of arctigenin in male Sprague Dawley rats.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2009

Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae and 4 Vibrio spp, V. anguillarum, V. splendidus, V. harveyi and V. ordalii, were isolated from the diseased olive flounders, Paralichthys olivaceus. The pathogenicity of the isolates were compared to mortality, blood biochemical contents, such as alanineaminotransferase(ALT), aspatate aminotransferase(AST), and cortisol level, and non-specific immune responses, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction of macrophages and lysozyme activities of serum. The mortalities and levels of ALT, AST and cortisol of fishes infected with P. damselae were higher than those of others but significantly low in non-specific immune responses, NBT and lysozyme activities. These results suggest that P. damsela might produce damselysin having high hemolytic and phospholipase activities, correlated with the pathogenicity. P. damsela could also make an obstruction of internal organs, following increasing in the level of ALT and AST, and depression in host immunity caused by induced high levels of cortisol.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2001

This study was conducted to examine factors with attendance in hyperlipidemia nutrition eduction program among 101 hyperlipidemic outpatients (38 males 63 females) at Samsung Medical Center We employed the Health Belief Model (HBM) as the theoretical framework The individual nutrition education and counseling program was scheduled with 4- half hour session sin 2 to 4 weeks intervals. Upon initiation of the program a trained dietitian surveyed HBM constructs and psychosocial factors. The following were included perceived susceptibility to cardiovascular disease(CVD) perceived severity to CVD percieved benefits to diet modification perceived barriers to persistence in maintaining therapy and self efficicacy and social support from family Sociodemographic data health factors stress level nutrition knowledge, and 24-hour dietary recall behavior were also surveyed All these data was analyzed according to the number of nutrition sessions attended The subjects were 55.9$\pm$9.4 year old and 24.6$\pm$kg/㎡ Sociodemographic factors were not associated with the number of nutrition sessions attended HBM constructs and psychosocial factors were significantly associated with the number of nutrition sessions attended. According to Spearman correlation coefficients. From stepwis regression analyses using HBM constructs as independent variables perceive barriers to persistence in maintaining diet therapy (negative) proved to be the strongest predictors for the number of nutrition sessions attended (partial R$^2$= 72.3%) followed by perceived severity to CVD and self efficacy (model R$^2$=76.6% The findings indicate that HBM constructs and psychosocial factors were closely associated with patient attendance It suggests that information and guidance to minimize patients perceived barriers to diet therapy might help to improve patients to scheduled appointments in nutrition education programs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.307-318
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Relocation to new environments can have a negative impact on health by altering body weight and dietary patterns. This study attempted to elucidate changes in body weight, food security, and their current food and nutrient consumption in adult North Korean refugees (NKR) living in South Korea (SK). SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study analyzed data on 149 adult NKR from a North Korean refugee health in SK cohort at four time points (leaving North Korea, entering SK, first examination, and second examination). Body weight was self-reported at the two earlier time points and directly measured at the two later time points. Food security, diet-related behaviors (dietary habits and food consumption), and sociodemographic information were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Nutrient intake information was obtained by one-day 24-hour recall. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS ver 23.0. RESULTS: Body weight increased during relocation by an average of 4 kg, although diversified patterns were observed during the settlement period in SK. Approximately 39.6% of subjects maintained their body weight between the first and second examinations, whereas 38.6% gained and 22.1% lost at least 3% of their body weight at the first examination by the second examination. Food security status improved from 12.1% food secure proportion to 61.7%. NKR showed generally good food and nutrient consumption (index of nutrient quality: 0.77-1.93). The body weight loss group showed the most irregular meal consumption pattern (P < 0.05), and eating-out was infrequent in all three groups. Consumption frequencies of food groups did not differ by group, except in the fish group (P = 0.036). CONCLUSION: This study observed considerable body weight adjustment during the settlement period in SK after initial weight gain, whereas food security consistently improved. More detailed understanding of this process is needed to assist healthy settlement for NKR in SK.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 2008

During New year's day and Thanksgiving holiday, the 1339 Information Center in Gwangju and Jeonnam received an emergency medical situation and carried out the analysis as follows ; 1. The reason for the higher phone guidance(72%) of the hospital was based on the simple query for the pain control rather than emergency care. This was explained by the unfamiliar environment of the holiday movers. Pharmaceutical guidance(12.6%) in rural area was also given during the holidays. 2. The disease counselling(2.4%) and emergency treatment instruction(First Aid)(1.6%) decreased because of the small number of request for the diseases. This explained the decrease of the disease counselling. 3. The phone calls increased 8-13 times more than usual. Five-day holidays could have more emergency patients than three-day holidays. During New year's day and Thanksgiving day, the number of received phone calls was 6,444(25.7%) and this accounted for one fourth of the total number in 2007. 4. The number of the patients increased on New year's day and Thanksgiving day because most of the medical institutions and pharmacy were off duty. 5. The patients were centered in Internal medicine and pediatrics. This showed the food-borne diseases and air-borne infection such as common cold. 6. During Thanksgiving day, ophthalmologic patients having viral keratoconjunctivitis(Apollo eye disease) increased 8 folds than in New year's day. It was estimated from the continuous epidemic of Apollo eye disease. 7. There broke out the traffic accidents, food poisoning, infectious diseases, dermatological diseases due to seasonal and environmental changes during the holiday move.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the abdominal bracing (AB) and abdominal bracing combined with ankle dorsiflexion (ABDF) on abdominal muscle thickness and strength in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). Design: Two group pretest posttest design. Methods: Sixteen subjects were divided randomly into two group: ABDF group (n=8), and alone AB group (n=8). The ABDF group practiced AB exercise with additional ankle dorsiflexion. AB group practiced only AB exercises. Subjects in both groups received ABDF exercise and AB exercise for 40 min per day, three days per week during a period of three weeks, respectively. All the subjects were evaluated for abdominal muscle thickness and strength before and after intervention using ultrasonography and MedX machine. Results: The external oblique (EO), internal oblique, transverse abdominis (TrA) muscle thickness and the strength produced at $48^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $72^{\circ}$ showed a significant increase in the ABDF group after intervention, with a more significant improvement in EO and TrA muscle thickness in the ABDF group compared with the AB group (p<0.05). Also, the strength at $48^{\circ}$ strength showed a significant improvement in the ABDF group than the AB group (p<0.05). Conclusions: The study results showed that abdominal muscle contraction exercises with AD in patients with LBP had an influence on abdominal muscle thickness and strength. Therefore, these findings suggest that ABDF may be useful approach for enhancement of abdominal muscle thickness and strength in patients with chronic low back pain.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2015

Purpose: Abdominal breathing exercises are recommended to activate the breathing muscles and the pelvic floor muscles, as well as to increase postural alignment during exhalation. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of improving abdominal muscle strength on menstrual pain in women in their twenties using abdominal breathing exercises. Method: In this study, 32 female university students were included as the subjects. The subjects were divided into two groups based on the area of menstrual pain: lumbar pain (n=16) and lower abdomen pain (n=16). The abdominal breathing positions were divided into two positions, which included a hook lying position and hip and knee flexions at $90^{\circ}$ in the supine position. Exercises were used to strengthen the abdominal muscles during exhalation. Four sets of the exercises were completed three times a week over the course of eight weeks. The degree of pain was measured using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Muscle thickness was measured using an ultrasound. Result: The thickness of the transverse abdominis (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) increased in the lower abdomen pain group. However, thickness of the external oblique (EO) did not increased following abdominal breathing. No significant difference in posture was identified in the lower abdomen group. TrA thickness increased significantly in the lumbar pain group. However, thickness did not increase significantly in the lumbar pain group. In addition, the lumbar pain group experienced no significant effects on posture. IO thickness increased following hip and knee flexions at $90^{\circ}$ in the lumbar pain group. Menstrual pain decreased following intervention in both groups. There was no significant difference in the degree of pain reduction between both groups. Conclusion: As examples of alternative medicine, abdominal breathing exercises may be effective in decreasing menstrual pain.