• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.305-318
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) at an acupoint, HT8(Sobu), on normal humans by using power spectral analysis. We examined the effect on the Heart Rate Variability(HRV), and the balance of the autonomic nervous system. Methods : Thirty-two healthy volunteers participated in this study. EEG(Electroencephalogram) power spectrum exhibits site-specific and state-related differences in specific frequency bands. A thirty-two channel EEG study was carried out on thirty-two subjects(14 males; mean age=23.5 years old, 18 females; mean age=21.5 years old). HRV and EEG were simultaneously recorded before and after acupuncture. Results : In the ${\alpha}$(alpha) band, during the HT8-acupoint treatment, the power values in the ${\alpha}$(alpha) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 28 channels. In the ${\beta}$(beta) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 26 channels. In ${\delta}$(delta) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 18 channels. In ${\theta}$(theta) band significantly decreased(p<0.05) at 20 channels. ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ values were increased at 6 channels and decreased at 10 channels.${\beta}/{\theta}$ values were increased at 10 channels and decreased at 19 channels. Mean-RR(RR-interval), Complexity, RMSSD(Root mean square of successive differences), SDSD(Standard deviations differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals), norm HF showed a significantly increased and mean-HRV, norm LF, LHR(LF/HF Ratio) showed a significantly decreased after HT8-acupoint treatment(p<0.05). Conclusions : These results suggest that EA at the HT8 mostly causes significant changes on alpha(28 channels), beta(26 channels), delta(18 channels), theta(20 channels) bands and mean-HRV, mean-RR, complexity, RMSSD, SDSD, norm LF, norm HF and LHR. If practicing EA at the HT8, it will regulate the function of the cerebral cortex, decrease activity of the sympathetic and increase parasympathetic nervous activity.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.289-297
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• 2013

Objectives : Diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN), generally considered to be the most symptomatically distressing complication of diabetes, affects more than 50% of people with diabetes. However, no consistently effective treatment for DPN is available and patients are forced to struggle with medications that provide only partial relief. In this pilot study, we evaluated the clinical effects of Saam acupuncture for the treatment of painful DPN. Methods : A total of 10 patients with painful DPN were included in the study; 6 subjects with Saam acupuncture treatment and 4 subjects without it. Subjects were defined as having painful DPN if they had at least 2 points using total symptom score(TSS). Treatments were delivered three times a week for 4 weeks. Vitamin $B_{12}$ was orally administrated in the all subjects. At initial(0 week) and follow-up after 4 weeks and 8 weeks, all subjects underwent TSS, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument(MNSI), and nerve conduction test. Results : After initial(0 week) and follow-up(8 weeks), TSS and MNSI were not significantly different between the two groups(p=0.400 and p=0.830, respectively). However, in both two groups, according to time, there was a significant difference in TSS as well as MNSI(p=0.001 and p=0.004, respectively). Conclusions : Saam acupuncture may be considered as the effective treatment for the patients of DPN although the changes of the symptoms were of limited significance in this study. Further investigations are required to elucidate the role of Saam acupuncture for the pain control of DPN.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.272-280
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study was to observe effects of manual acupuncture(MA), electro-acupuncture(EA) and moxibustion (MO) on the rat with loperamide-induced constipation. Methods : This study measured small intestinal motility and number of fecal pellets in rats with loperamide induced constipation. MA and EA(intensity, 5 times muscle twitch threshold) was applied for 30 minutes and MO was treated on 5 times moxa cautery to the groups divided with age and sex. Results : The small intestinal motility was decreased by ST36 EA and ST37 EA in 5 weeks male group and ST37 EA in 7 weeks male and female groups, and ST36 MO in 7 weeks female group, but it was increased by ST39 EA in 7 weeks male group and ST37 MO and ST39 MO in 7 weeks male group. The number of fecal pellets was decreased by MA, EA, MO of ST36 in all group except 5, 7 weeks male groups only, and MA, EA of ST37 in 5, 7 weeks male group and ST37 MO in 7 weeks female group, and ST39 EA in 5 weeks male group and 7 weeks female group and ST39 MO in 7 weeks female group, but increased by ST37 EA in 5 weeks female group and ST39 EA in 7 weeks male group. Conclusions : Although these differences do not have a established tendency, it suggests that acupuncture and moxibustion are experimentally dependent upon the sex and age on intestinal motility in rats.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.230-242
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• 2013

Objectives : DongUiBoGam is a representative medical literature in Korea. This research intends to structurally grasp how DongUiBoGam understands the human body and review the methods of acupuncture and moxibustion in the NaeGyeong chapter of it using text mining. Methods : The structure of DongUiBoGam was analyzed with specific parts of the book that described contents, major premises of understanding the human body, and processes of treatment. We analyzed characteristics of each acupoints in a relationship with causes of diseases & symptoms in the NaeGyeong chapter using a Term Frequency - Inverse Document Frequency(TFIDF). Results : Three different categories of pattern identification(PI) were formed after structural analysis of DongUiBoGam. Every causes of diseases & symptoms were transformed according to the three categories of PI. After analyzing the relationship between acupoints and causes of diseases & symptoms, 114 acupoints were visualized with TFIDF values of three PI categories. Conclusions : The selection of acupoints in NaeGyeong chapter of DongUiBoGam were linked to causes of diseases & symptoms based on the three PI categories. Through visualization of bipartite relationships between acupoints and causes of diseases & symptoms, we could easily understand characteristics of each acupoint.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.210-216
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• 2013

Purpose: A cost effective tool for the clinical measurement of trunk reposition sense is clearly needed. This study was to analyze intrarater and interrater Reliability of trunk repositioning error (TRE) test which assesses trunk position sense using a portable digital inclinometer. Methods: Twenty four normal healthy subjects were recruited. TRE was measured using a portable digital inclinometer. A digital inclinometer (Acumar-ACU360; Lafayetter Instrument) with precision to $1^{\circ}$ was placed on skin over the spinous process from first to second thoracic vertebra (T1-T2) and secured with double-sided tape. TRE test during sitting forward and lateral flexion movement was assessed. When they reached a point approximately 50% of full trunk flexion range, the examiner instructed the subjects to stop and told them. This was the target position that they should try to reproduce exactly. Each subject performed six trials. Results: ICC (2,1) for intrarater reliability (with-day and between-day) of TRE test in sagittal and frontal plane of movement was 0.75 and 0.78 (excellent reliability). Interrater reliability was 0.66 in sagittal and 0.64, frontal plane (fair to good reliability). However, there were poor correlations between an average of TRE test in sagittal and frontal plane. Conclusion: TRE test using a portable digital inclinometer demonstrated good to excellent reliability. The device may be a cost effective clinical measurement for trunk reposition sense measurement.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.239-244
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• 2007

Hoxc8 is one of the homeotic developmental control genes regulating the expression of many downstream target genes, through which animal body pattern is established during embryonic development. In previous proteomics analysis, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) which is also known as cyclin, has been implied to be regulated by Hoxc8 in F9 murine embryonic teratocarcinoma cell. When the 5' upstream region of PCNA was analyzed, it turned out to contain 20 Hox core binding sites (ATTA) in about 1.17 kbp (kilo base pairs) region ($-520{\sim}-1690$). In order to test whether this region is responsible for Hoxc8 regulation, the upstream 2.3 kbp fragment of PCNA was amplified through PCR and then cloned into the pGL3 basic vector containing a luciferase gene as a reporter. When the luciferase activity was measured in the presence of effector plasmid (pcDNA : c8) expressing murine Hoxc8, the PCNA promoter driven reporter activity was reduced. To confirm whether this reduction is due to the Hoxc8 protein, the siRNA against Hoxc8 (5'-GUA UCA GAC CUU GGA ACU A-3' and 5'-UAG UUC CAA GGU CUG AUA C-3') was prepared. Interestingly enough, siRNA treatment up regulated the luciferase activity which was down regulated by Hoxc8, indicating that Hoxc8 indeed regulates the expression of PCNA, in particular, down regulation in NIN3T3 cells. These results altogether indicate that Hoxc8 might orchestrate the pattern formation by regulating PCNA which is one of the important proteins involved in several processes such as DNA replication and methylation, chromatin remodeling, cell cycle regulation, differentiation, as well as programmed cell death.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.193-206
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• 2005

Objective: This study is designed to compare the effects of Sulguanjul-Bang No.1 on osteoarthritis in knee joint according to formulation. Methods: 47 patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee joint were enrolled in a open clinical trial. The 47 patients were devided into two groups at random and taken Sulguanjul-bang No.1 with decoction type, suspension type respectively for8 weeks. After 8-week treatment period, the following parameters were analyzed ; Visual analogue Scale(VAS), Lysholm index score, patients' global assessment. Results: Sulguanjul-bang No.1 treatment led to significant improvement in the pain and symptoms of osteoarthritis as determined by all efficacy measures. After 8 weeks of therapy, there was significant improvement in VAS, Lysholm index and patients' global assessment. But there is no significant difference between two groups. Conclusions: Sulguanjul-bang No.1 was very beneficial pain relief effect and functional improvement irrespect of formulation, decoction type or suspension type.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2016

Objectives : This study aimed to overview the current education status of a traditional medicine by medical schools in Japan. Methods : We surveyed the literatures regarding a traditional medicine education in Japan, and get the information via email-interview with an officer of medical schools in Japan as well as from their websites. Results : Japan's education ministry presented the appropriateness of education for traditional medicine to medical students in 2001, and most of medical schools begun to set up the classes in Japan. We received the detail information of the traditional medicine education from 21 medical schools. Nineteen colleges(approximately 90%) of those have the regular classes for traditional medicine while two colleges don't have the education program for the traditional medicine. Most of medical schools have single class for introduction of traditional medicine, and have average $16.2{\pm}8.8$ hours during the $4^{th}$ grade(61.9%). Conclusions : We presented the general feature of education for traditional medicine in Japan, and this result would be basic information for an establishment of a strategy regarding the enhancement of national competitiveness of traditional Korean medicine.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.194-203
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study was to observe the dose-dependent effects of bee venom (BV) pharmacopuncture on the serious ankle sprain in rats. Methods : The grade III ankle sprain was produced by surgically damaging the lateral ligaments complex of Sprague-Dawley rats. BV pharmacopuncture with the different doses($5{\mu}g/kg$, $10{\mu}g/kg$, $50{\mu}g/kg$) were treated on the different acupoints(GB34, GB39 and GB42) of the affected hind limb, respectively. By measuring foot weight bearing force ratio(FWBFR), the pain levels by ankle sprain and the pain recovery for 7 days were observed under BV pharmacopuncture on each acupoint. Results : In the normal and ankle sprained rat, the BV single administration decreased FWBFR in a dose - dependent pattern. The higher the BV dose, the higher the pain resulted in the normal and the sprained ankles. Especially, the dose - dependent effects of BV resulted in the most pronounced decrease in FWBFR in GB34. The recovery of FWBFR was shown at the low dose($5{\mu}g/kg$) BV and the effect was most remarkable in the BV of GB34, but the others showed no recovery effect compared with the control group. Conclusions : BV pharmacopuncture does not exhibit analgesic effects in acute phase of ankle sprain. However, the recovery of ankle sprain was more effective than the natural recovery in the case of low dose of BV repeated over time. Considering this, it is presumed that it would be important to select appropriate clinic guidelines for acute phase of ankle sprain.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.204-212
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of moxibustion on the pain behavior and expression of TRPM8 in the dorsal root ganglion(DRG) in the rat model of ambient cold(AC) exposed osteoarthritis(OA). Methods : OA was induced by the injection of $50{\mu}l$ of 2% monosodium iodoacetate(MIA) into the knee joint cavity. To examine the level of pain, weight bearing forces(WBFs) of affected limb was measured. For the AC exposure, the animals were housed in 6 h/day at $4^{\circ}C$ for 14 days after MIA injection. Moxibustion treatment was performed at EX-LE4 and EX-LE5 with 5 cons(1, 7 or 10 mg) per day for 13 days from 5 days after MIA injection. The expressions of TRPM8 in DRG were measured by western blotting analysis. Results : The WBFs of MIA-AC group were decreased significantly compared to MIA group at 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 days after arthritis induction. After the first 6 h-AC exposure, expressions of TRPM8 in MIA-AC group were increased significantly compared to those of naive group. After moxibustion treatment, only the WBFs of 7 mg treated group were restored significantly. Moreover, the over-expressions of TRPM8 were attenuated by the moxibustion treatment in AC exposed rats. Conclusions : The data suggest that AC can increase arthritic knee pain via up-regulated TRPM8 and moxibustion treatment improve the arthritic pain via modulation of TRPM8 expression in DRG in the rat model of AC exposed MIA induced arthritis.