• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of resistant gait training with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the walking and balancing abilities of chronic stroke patients. Methods: Twelve chronic stroke patients were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 6) that underwent treadmill gait training or an experimental group (n = 6) that underwent resistant gait training using PNF. The interventions were performed five times per week for four weeks. Gait variables were measured using a GAITRite system (CIR System Inc, Clifton, NJ, USA) to examine changes in walking ability; the Berg balance scale (BBS) was used to measure changes in balance; and the activity-specific balance confidence scale (ABC) was measured to examine changes in confidence about balance. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to examine intragroup differences before and after the interventions, and a Mann-Whitney U-test was used for intergroup comparisons of the effects of the interventions. All statistical significance levels were set to ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: Both the experimental group and the control group showed significant intragroup improvement in walking speed, the number of steps per minute, stride length, double support time, balance, and confidence about balance after the interventions (p < 0.05). In intergroup comparisons after the interventions, the experimental group showed significant improvements over the control group in walking speed, the number of steps per minute, stride length, balance, and confidence about balance (p < 0.05). No significant difference in double support time was seen in the intergroup comparison after training (p > 0.05). Conclusion: This study applied resistant gait training using PNF to chronic stroke patients, and the results showed significant improvements in the patients' walking and balancing abilities. Therefore, resistant gait training using PNF is thought to be applicable as an intervention method for chronic stroke patients.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.10-14
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• 2009

Objective of this study was to examine the effects of grouts and temperature change on microorganisms in geothermal heat pump. Groundwater samples were obtained from wells in the heat pump system during installation (Oriental medicine hospital) and in the heat pump system under operation (Business incubation center). Grouts are the volclay sodium bentonite. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate total bacterial number and 16S rDNA. The results showed that total bacterial number of groundwater in the heat pump operation was greater than that of non-operation case, which indicates a temperature effect on the bacterial culture. In addition, high concentration of grout showed an elevated bacteria number. In the mean time, a long-term field monitoring is essentially required to confirm the effects of the grouts and the temperature changes.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.141-155
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• 2021

Objective The purpose of this study is to gather information from clinical studies conducted in China and analyze the effects of herbal medicine treatment for childhood vitiligo. Methods The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with herbal medicine treatment for childhood vitiligo from the Chinese Academic Journal (CAJ) from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched. Then, each study was analyzed by demographics, disease durations, interventions, treatment periods, outcomes, adverse events, and compositions of the herbal medicine used. Result A total of 6 RCTs were included. All the trials except for one used a combination of Chinese herbal medicine with Western medicine as their treatment groups. The total efficacy rate was used to measure the effectiveness, and the treatment groups reported a significantly higher total efficacy rate compared to the control groups in all studies. In one study, a control group treated with compound glycyrrhizin capsule and topical compound kaliziran tincture combination treatment was compared with a treatment group which used the same treatment that the control group received in addition to oral herbal medicine. This study also showed higher total effectiveness in the treatment group than the control group. Conclusions In pediatric vitiligo, a combination of herbal medicine treatment rather than Western medical treatment alone can improve symptoms. In addition, it was suggested that the therapeutic effect can be enhanced when oral herbal medicine is used in combination with other herbal medicine treatments.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.1-27
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• 2021

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of herbal medicine on bone growth and growth factors by collecting and analyzing domestic and foreign experimental research papers to establish a platform for future research. Methods Experimental studies published before March 2021 were searched using 7 Korean databases and 2 foreign databases. Among the numbers of studies searched, 48 experimental studies met the criteria and were selected. The results of those 48 studies upon herbal medicine administration were analyzed by bone growth, growth plate, weight. Results 23 studies mainly used monotherapy of either Astragali Radix and Cervi Parvum Cornu. 28 studies used combination of Poria Sclerotium, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, and Acanthopanacis Cortex. Among all studies selected, weight, bone growth, Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and Growth hormone (GH) were increased, but the increase was significant only in some of the studies. Conclusions The result of this study can be utilized as a background information for further studies and treatment in pediatric growth. Further randomized control studies are needed to underscore the finding.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.72-86
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• 2021

Objectives The aim of this study was to review the current clinical Sasang constitutions studies by using genetics and to provide basic data for developing in a better direction of research. Methods Research articles on genetics of the clinical Sasang constitutions studies were extracted from six databases. The articles were classified were published year, published journals, and the types of studies. Subjects of research and experimental methods for the genetic research were summarized. Results A total of 43 selected research articles were published from 1996 to 2020 and more than half of them were published in Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine and Journal of Korean Oriental Medicine. There were three main types of researches. The three types of researches were for investigating a genetic indicator for classification of Sasang constitutional type, confirming a relationship between pathological gene and Sasang constitutional type, and checking a hereditary of Sasang constitutional type. But these studies did not yield clear results illustrating a relationship between Genetics and Sasang Constitutional Medicine. Discussion In this study, the necessity of the follow up studies to demonstrate a relationship between Genetics and Sasang Constitutional Medicine was confirmed.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.16-28
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• 2021

Introduction The Sasang Urination Defecation Inventory was developed to analyze Sasang-type specific pathophysiological clinical symptoms, and its revised Sasang Urination Inventory (SUI) illustrated its clinical usefulness in Sasang type differentiation. However, the correlation with established clinical measures for its concurrent validity were not provided yet. Methods Total of 48 healthy university students were recruited to response Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6) and Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) of Western medicine along with the SUI of traditional Korean medicine. The correlation coefficients between UDI-6 and OABSS and SUI were acquired with Pearson's correlation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Profile Analysis were used to analyze significant differences in SUI subscale profiles of each Sasang types. Results The SUI-HSS of urogenital hypersensitivity correlated positively with OABSS (r=0.442, p<0.01), and the SUI-DIS of urinary discomfort positively with UDI-6 (r=0.289, p<0.05). Interestingly, the SUI-total was correlated positively with age (r=0.326), height (r=0.318) and weight (r=0.304). The SUI-DIS for urinary discomfort of So-Yang (9.48±2.11) type was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of Tae-Eum (7.2±2.90) type. And SUI subscale profiles of each Sasang type were significantly (Wilks' Lambda=0.792, F=2.723, p=0.034) distinctive to each other. Discussion The acceptable convergent validity of SUI was shown using established measures of urogenital symptoms. The SUI might be used as an objective traditional Korean clinical measure for Sasang type differentiation and urological patients.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.605-621
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to assess the efficacy and safety of Hwangryunhaedok-tang for type 2 diabetes without complications by systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: We searched the following up to March 31. 2021: PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, CiNii, KISS, KMBASE, OASIS, ScienceON. Data extraction and assessment of Cochrane's risk of bias (RoB) tool were performed by two independent authors, and if there was disagreement between two researchers, it was resolved through the intervention of a third researcher. Results: A total of seven trials are included in this systemic review. The treatment group (Hwangryunhaedok-tang plus conventional treatment) showed more statistically significant effects than did the control group (conventional treatment only) in fasting plasma glucose level, 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose level, glycated hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin level, and HOMA-IR. There was no significant difference between the treatment group (Hwangryunhaedok-tang alone) and the control group (metformin alone). Conclusion: Hwangryunhaedok-tang might have efficacy and safety in controlling blood sugar level and improving insulin-resistance. However, the number of studies included in the meta-analysis was insufficient, and the Hwangryunhaedok-tang used in the included studies was not standardized. Also, the quality of the involved studies was generally low. Therefore, further studies are needed to determine the efficacy and safety of Hwangryunhaedok-tang treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.361-369
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to review the herbal medications of asthma through clinical studies in Korea and to be utilized in the treatment of asthma and in other clinical studies. All clinical researches about asthma published up to 13th February 2018 were found in two domestic electric databases, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System(OASIS) and National Discovery for Science Library(NDSL). Twenty-seven articles were selected and of these, there were 14 articles of before and after studies(BAS), 8 of case series(CS), 4 of case reports(CR) and 1 of the randomized controlled trial(RCT). The most frequently used prescription was "Cheongsangboha-tang(淸上補下湯)". There were various TCM patterns, and Tae-Eum-In(太陰人) was the most common Sasang constitution(四象體質). Frequently used evaluations to assess treatment effects were lung function tests such as Forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) and Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adult Korean Asthmatics(QLQAKA) questionnaire responses. We have found that herbal medicine treatment can be an effective treatment to improve the symptoms and the quality of life of asthmatic patients. But we consider that large-scale systematically designed clinical researches are needed additionally.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.411-417
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• 2018

Last year, the elderly population aged 65 years and over exceeded 14.2 percent of the total population, and Korea has entered the ageing society. At the same time, social interest in improving the health level and quality of life in the elderly has also increased. In particular, pain is one of the most common diseases experienced by middle-aged and elderly people and is one of the factors that closely affect the quality of life. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors affecting the pain level and pain region of Korean medicine users and the use of Korean medicine in the Korean middle aged and elderly using the 6th Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) panel. As a result, the main influencing factors of Korean medical care were subjective factors such as gender, subjective health status, and education level. In particular, half of the middle-aged and elderly who used Korean medicine experienced back and knee pain, and generally complained of low level of pain. This study suggests the need for research and development of Korean medicine that can control and relieve the pain of the middle-aged and elderly.

• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.223-223
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• 2016

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng) has been shown to exert antihypertensive effects. In particular, ginsenoside Rg3 is thought to be a potent modulator of vascular function. The present study was performed to examine the antihypertensive efficacy of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) extract and Rg3-enriched KRG (REKRG) extract. Methods: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) andWistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs) were divided into six groups (WKY control, WKY-KRG, WKY-REKRG, SHR control, SHR-KRG, and SHRREKRG), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured at the carotid artery, followed by injection of 3mg/kg KRG or 3mg/kg REKRG. Results: REKRG treatment significantly decreased SBP and DBP 3hours post-treatment in the SHR group compared with SHR control group. However, SBP and DBP were not significantly different in KRG-treated SHRs compared with control SHRs. REKRG treatment did not significantly alter SBP or DBP 3hours post-treatment in the WKY group compared with WKY control group. Similarly, there were no differences in SBP or DBP with KRG treatment in the WKY group and WKY control group. Both KRG and REKRG increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation levels in the aorta, and the increases in endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation levels by REKRG treatment were higher than those with KRG treatment. Similarly, nitric oxide production in plasma from WKYs and SHRs was also increased by both KRG and REKRG. Conclusion: These results suggest that REKRG has a more beneficial effect on blood pressure control than KRG in SHRs.