• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.90-103
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was designed to confirm the effects of the Korean Medicine health promotion program targeting young children. One important aspect of the Korean Medicine health promotion program for children is to bring awareness of health benefits of introducing Korean Medicine methods to young children and to promote incorporating such methods in children's daily activities to develop healthy habits. Methods: The following experiment was conducted for 6 weeks, and the participants were in the age between 2 to 6 years old from 6 child care centers in Wonju and Chungju. 268 participants were in the intervention group, and 277 in the control group. To measure the outcomes of the Children Korean Medicine health program, the intervention group received Korean Medicine prevention programs (children education, parent education, growth exercises, common cold prevention scarf, and pear herb tea), control group did not. This research collected and compared the following data as the children's health indicators to measure the outcomes before and after the program: medical services usage, the number of absences, early leaves, and tardiness to the child care centers due to the participant's health condition. Results: After applying the children's health promotion programs on children between the age of 2-6, there was a decrease in the overall medical services usage, absences, early leaves, and tardiness to the child care center. This health promotion program was purely based on Korean medical theories and Korean Medicine resources without any conventional medical mediation. Conclusions: It can be concluded that a positive change was noted in raising awareness of Korean Medicine through educating both the parents and children. By learning to incorporate Korean Medicine prevention practices to daily habits, not only was there a reduction in the Medical services usage, but the children also became familiar and comfortable with Korean Medicine and its treatment procedures; the overall satisfaction level of the program was also high.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.15.1-15.11
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• 2015

Objectives There has been a growing concern about the possible carcinogenic effects of the electromagnetic radiofrequency fields emitted from mobile phones. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between mobile phone use and the development of gliomas in Korea. Methods Our study methods were based on the International Interphone study that aimed to evaluate possible adverse effects of mobile phone use. This study included 285 histologically-confirmed Korean patients 15 to 69 years of age, with gliomas diagnosed between 2002 and 2007 in 9 hospitals. The 285 individually matched controls were healthy individuals that had their medical check-up in the same hospitals. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for use of mobile phones. Results For the entire group, no significant relationship was investigated between gliomas and regular use of mobile phones, types of mobile phones, lifetime years of use, monthly service fee, and the other exposure indices. Analyses restricted to self-respondents showed similar results. For ipsilateral users, whose the body side for usual mobile phone use match the location of glioma, the aORs (95% CIs) for lifetime years of use and cumulative hours of use were 1.25 (0.55 to 2.88) and 1.77 (0.32 to 1.84), respectively. However, the contralateral users showed slightly lower risk than ipsilateral users. Conclusions Our results do not support the hypothesis that the use of mobile phones increases the risk of glioma; however, we found a non-significant increase in risk among ipsilateral users. These findings suggest further evaluation for glioma risk among longterm mobile phone users.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.17-31
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• 2000

In order to investigate the effects of emitted-qi therapy(EQT) and cold water therapy(CWT) on the inhibition of the blood loss, the protein loss and the electrolyte loss in burned rats. The white blood cell, hematocrit and hemoglobin values in blood, and the total protein, albumin, globulin, $Na^+,\;Cl^-,\;K^+\;and\;Ca^{2+}$ values in serum were measured. The results were obtained as follows; 1. White blood cell count in blood was significantly increased in CWT group compared with control group. 2. Hematocrit value in bolld was significantly increase in EQT and CWT group compared with control group. 3. Hemoglobin value in blood was significantly increased in CWT group compared with control group. 4. Total protein value in serum was significantly increased in CWT group compared with control group. 5. Albumin value in serum was significantly increased in EQT and CWT group compared with control group. 6. Globulin value in serum tended to be increase in EQT and CWT group compared with control group, but it was not significant. 7. A/G ratio in serum was significantly increased in EQT and CWT group compared with contort group. 8. $Na^+$, value in serum was significantly increased in EQT and CWT group compared with ontrol group. 9. $K^+$, value in serum tended to be increased in EQT group compared with control group, but it was not significant. 10. $Cl^-$ value in serum was significantly increased in EQT and CWT group compared with control group. 11. $Ca^{2+}$ value in serum tended to be increased in EQT and CWT compared with control group, but it was not significant. According to the above results, the EQT and CWT inhibited the blood loss, the protein loss and the electrolyte loss. Therefore, it is considered that the EQT and CWT can be applied to the burn therapy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2016

Statins, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are known to cause serious muscle injuries (e.g. myopathy, myositis and rhabdomyolysis), and these adverse effects can be rescued by co-administration of coenzyme $Q_{10}$ ($CoQ_{10}$) with statins. The goal of the current research is to assess the efficacy of combined treatment of $CoQ_{10}$ with Atorvastatin for hyperlipidemia induced by high-fat diet in SD rats. 4-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed normal diet or high-fat diet for 6 weeks. Then, rats were treated with either Statin or Statin with various dosages of $CoQ_{10}$ (30, 90 or 270 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for another 6 weeks. Compared to Statin only treatment, $CoQ_{10}$ supplementation significantly reduced creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase levels in serum which are markers for myopathy. Moreover, $CoQ_{10}$ supplementation with Statin further reduced total fat, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In contrast, the levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and $CoQ_{10}$ were increased in the $CoQ_{10}$ co-treated group. These results indicate that $CoQ_{10}$ treatment not only reduces the side effects of Statin, but also has an anti-obesity effect. Therefore an intake of supplementary $CoQ_{10}$ is helpful for solving problem of obese metabolism, so the multiple prescription of $CoQ_{10}$ makes us think a possibility that can be solved in being contiguous to the obesity problem, a sort of disease of the obese metabolism.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2013

To control coccidiosis without using prophylactic medications, a DNA vaccine targeting the gametophyte antigen Gam56 from Eimeria maxima in chickens was constructed, and the immunogenicity and protective effects were evaluated. The ORF of Gam56 gene was cloned into an eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(zeo)+. Expression of Gam56 protein in COS-7 cells transfected with recombinant plasmid pcDNA-Gam56 was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The DNA vaccine was injected intramuscularly to yellow feathered broilers of 1-week old at 3 dosages (25, 50, and $100{\mu}g/chick$). Injection was repeated once 1 week later. One week after the second injection, birds were challenged orally with $5{\times}10^4$ sporulated oocysts of E. maxima, then weighed and killed at day 8 post challenge. Blood samples were collected and examined for specific peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation activity and serum antibody levels. Compared with control groups, the administration of pcDNA-Gam56 vaccine markedly increased the lymphocyte proliferation activity (P<0.05) at day 7 and 14 after the first immunization. The level of lymphocyte proliferation started to decrease on day 21 after the first immunization. A similar trend was seen in specific antibody levels. Among the 3 pcDNA-Gam56 immunized groups, the median dosage group displayed the highest lymphocyte proliferation and antibody levels (P<0.05). The median dosage group had the greatest relative body weight gain (89.7%), and the greatest oocyst shedding reduction (53.7%). These results indicate that median dosage of DNA vaccine had good immunogenicity and immune protection effects, and may be used in field applications for coccidiosis control.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.132-140
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• 2005

Objectives: To propose a risk-adjustment model from insurance claims data, and analyze the changes in cesarean section rates of healthcare organizations after adjusting for risk distribution. Methods: The study sample included delivery claims data from January to September, 2003. A risk-adjustment model was built using the 1st quarter data, and the 2nd and 3rd quarter data were used for a validation test. Patients' risk factors were adjusted using a logistic regression analysis. The c-statistic and Hosmer-Lemeshow test were used to evaluate the performance of the risk-adjustment model. Crude, predicted and risk-adjusted rates were calculated, and compared to analyze the effects of the adjustment. Results: Nine risk factors (malpresentation, eclampsia, malignancy, multiple pregnancies, problems in the placenta, previous Cesarean section, older mothers, bleeding and diabetes) were included in the final risk-adjustment model, and were found to have statistically significant effects on the mode of delivery. The c-statistic (0.78) and Hosmer-Lemeshow test ($x^2$=0.60, p=0.439) indicated a good model performance. After applying the 2nd and 3rd quarter data to the model, there were no differences in the c-statistic and Hosmer-Lemeshow $x^2$. Also, risk factor adjustment led to changes in the ranking of hospital Cesarean section rates, especially in tertiary and general hospitals. Conclusion: This study showed a model performance, using medical record abstracted data, was comparable to the results of previous studies. Insurance claims data can be used for identifying areas where risk factors should be adjusted. The changes in the ranking of hospital Cesarean section rates implied that crude rates can mislead people and therefore, the risk should be adjusted before the rates are released to the public. The proposed risk-adjustment model can be applied for the fair comparisons of the rates between hospitals.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.2 s.24
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• pp.442-450
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• 1988

Effects of various factors related to the process of social action of hospital services on the selecting a hospital were investigated by using of questionnaires answered by 1,319 patients in a certain University Hospital, in Chungchongnam-Do, from November, 1986 to November, 1987. The results summarized were as follows ; 1. Each of the examined factors, that is, sincerity of an attendant physician in medical treatment and explaining the condition of a disease, confidence to doctor and nurse, doctor's and nurse's response to calling by patient, kindness of the hospital staffs and food handlers, sanitariness of hospital, cleanness of clothes and bed sheets, hospital foods, and rest surroundings, are not solely decisive to attitude of hospital utilization, but the factors effects compositely on hospital utilization 2. Hospital services of the social action process are more effective to hospital utilization in cases of the hospitalization caused by the traffic facility than for the medical skill and facilities.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.195-213
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate several effects of smoking and alcohol-drinking on the health of rural residents. The subjects were 710 people (325 males and 385 females) in rural area, Young-Duk Gun, Kyungbuk, Korea. The data were collected by medical students trained for this study during 4 days from 31 August, 1996. Questionnaire contents were general social characteristics, period of the agriculture, smoking history, alcohol-drinking history, some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health. The results obtained are as follows : 1. Positive rates of the some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health were higher in female than in male and were significantly increased as the as increased(p<0.05). 2. Smoking rate was 56.9% in male and 4.9% in female. In positive rates of the some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health in male, 'insomnia' was only significantly lower in ex-smoker than in smoker and non-smoker(p<0.05). Other items were significantly not different. 3. Prevalence rate of alcohol drinker was 54.8% in male and 17.1% in female and the alcoholism was 8.3% in male and 0.8% in female. Positive rate of the some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health in male were significantly not different. 4. The scores of self-evaluation for health was divided into two groups under two point and over three. And the analysis of multiple logistic regression shows that there were significant relationship with age and sex. This study suggests that some psychosomatic symptoms and self-evaluation for health were significant relationship with age and sex but not smoking and alcohol-drinking.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.405-414
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a policy change to expand Korean National Health Insurance (KNHI) benefit coverage to include scaling on access to dental care at the national level. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 12,794 adults aged 20 to 64 years from Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2010-2014) was analyzed. To examine the effect of the policy on the outcomes of interest (unmet dental care needs and preventive dental care utilization in the past year), an estimates-based probit model was used, incorporating marginal effects with a complex sampling structure. The effect of the policy on individuals depending on their income and education level was also assessed. Results: Adjusting for potential covariates, the probability of having unmet needs for dental care decreased by 6.1% and preventative dental care utilization increased by 14% in the post-policy period compared to those in the pre-policy period (2010, 2012). High income and higher education levels were associated with fewer unmet dental care needs and more preventive dental visits. Conclusions: The expansion of coverage to include scaling demonstrated to have a significant association with decreasing unmet dental care needs and increasing preventive dental care utilization. However, the policy disproportionately benefited certain groups, in contrast with the objective of the policy to benefit all participants in the KNHI system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2 s.70
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• pp.205-212
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• 2007

Objectives : Combined treatment (CT) of oriental herbal medicine and prescribed drugs is now being increasingly used among cancer patients around the world. However, in Korea, clinical information on the frequency, efficacy and safety of CT among cancer patients has not yet been thoroughly reported. This study aimed to identify the status and adverse effects of CT for the management of cancer patients. Methods : A questionnaire and medical record survey by oriental medical doctors or physicians were performed at two oriental medical hospitals and one general hospital. Of the initial 400 in-patients, 368 participated in this survey, representing a response rate of 92.0%. Results : Among cancer patients in oriental medical hospitals, the proportion of CT was 45.9%. In contrast, the proportion of CT in the general hospital was only 0.6%. The proportion of CT among breast cancer patients (20) and gastric cancer patients (35) were 85.0% and 51.4%, respectively. The proportion of CT among cancer patients was high in younger, female or married patients groups. 10 respondents (11.1%) among 90 cancer patients experienced several adverse effects including nausea, fatigue, etc. Conclusions : This study suggests that many more patients in oriental medical hospitals than general hospitals use combined treatment of oriental herbal medicine and prescribed drugs for management of cancer. Therefore, medical professionals should provide comprehensive and up-to-date clinical information about potential benefits and risks of CT to cancer patients in Korea.