• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.351-374
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigates the mechanism of Hwanggeum-tang (HGT) and Gamchosasim-tang (GST) on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: The mice (C57BL/6N) were treated with distilled water and 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to experimentally induce ulcerative colitis. The mice were divided into 7 groups of (6 mice: normal, negative control, positive control (with sulfasalazine), 4 experimental groups (with HGT and GST, respectively). RAW 264.7 cells were used for cell experiments. The experiment was conducted in two ways: in vitro and in vivo. Results: In the experimental group (HGT, GST) of in vitro experiments, NO production decreased, and significant changes in gene expression and protein activation were observed. The length of the colon recovered in the experimental groups (HGT, GST) of the in vivo experiment was longer than that of the negative control group, and the mucosal barrier was recovered. Sone significant changes in the amount of mRNA expression were partially observed, and significant changes in protein activation also were confirmed. Conclusions: HGT and GST are effective in treating IBD caused by DSS. In the same herbal preparation group, the higher the concentration, the better the experimental effect, and when the same concentration was tested, HGT was more effective than GST. Herbal medicine has a higher antioxidant effect than sulfasalazine, so it is also excellent for cell protection.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.399-409
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• 2021

1,2-Diacetylbenzene (DAB) is a metabolite of 1,2-diethylbenzene, which is commonly used in the manufacture of plastics and gasoline. We examined the neurotoxic effects of DAB in young and old rats, particularly its effects on hippocampus. Previously, we reported DAB impairs hippocampal neurogenesis but that the underlying mechanism remained unclear. In this study, we evaluate the toxicities exhibited by DAB in the hippocampi of 6-month-old (young) and 20-month-old (old) male SD rats by treating animals intraperitoneally with DAB at 3 mg/kg/day for 1 week. Hippocampal areas were dissected from brains and RNA was extracted and subjected to RNA-seq analysis. RNA results showed animals exhibited age-dependent sensitivity to the neurotoxic effects of DAB. We observed that inflammatory pathways were up-regulated in old rats but that metabolism- and detoxification-related pathways were up-regulated in young rats. This result in old rats, especially upregulation of the TREM1 signaling pathway (an inflammatory response involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD)) was confirmed by RT-PCR. Our study results provide a better understanding of age-dependent responses to DAB and new insight into the association between DAB and AD.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.239-248
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• 2021

The paper reviews various classifications and surgical techniques for the treatment of temporomandibular joint ankylosis. PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched using a combination of keywords. Articles related to classification, resection-reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint, and management of airway obstruction were considered and categorized based on the objectives. Seventy-nine articles were selected, which included randomized clinical trials, non-randomized controlled cohort studies, and case series. Though several classifications exist, most classifications are centered on the radiographic extent of the ankylotic mass and do not include the clinical and functional parameters. Hence there is a need for a comprehensive staging system that takes into consideration the age of the patient, severity of the disease, clinical, functional, and radiographic findings. Staging the disease will help the clinician to adopt a holistic approach in treating these patients. Interpositional arthroplasty (IA) results in better maximal incisal opening compared with gap arthroplasty, with no significant difference in recurrent rates. Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is emerging as a popular technique for the restoration of symmetry and function as well as for relieving airway obstruction. IA, with a costochondral graft, is recommended in growing patients and may be combined with or preceded by DO in cases of severe airway obstruction. Alloplastic total joint replacement combined with fat grafts and simultaneous osteotomy procedures are gaining popularity. A custom-made total joint prosthesis using CAD/CAM can efficiently overcome the shortcomings of stock prostheses.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.77-81
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this research was to examine the oriental medical term 'Yukjin(in chinese, liuchen)' i.e. 'good long-term storage of the six oriental medicinal herbs'. Yukjin has meant the six sorts of drugs which were well known for the older they stored, the better efficacious they were. This research was carried out to obtain more conclusive information about the time and the reason of the giving a naming Yukjin, and to arrange Yukjin's properties, toxicities and processes. Methods : We investigated the documents recorded in the medical classics of Yukjin and did the current issues and recent experimental researches of these medicines. Results : 1. The properties and flavors of Yukjin are pungent and bitter. When they were stored for a long time after gathering, their toxicities and stimuli were growing thinner, regarded as positive clinically with age and they should be used after processing. 2. The efficacies of Yukjin are not always in proportion to storage period. In case, they are stored too long, their efficacies and qualities may be deteriorated though volatility or pungent flavors are enfeebled. Conclusions : Consequently, toxicities and strong flavors of Yukjin can be reduced in various processes. So the traditional theory of long-term preservation is not necessarily retained. It may be desirable to store them for 1 to 3 years after harvest, to safen their toxicities and adverse reactions in the way of processing. If we use them properly according to oriental medicine method, it will be effective on treating and preventing the various diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2022

Background and Objectives The Voice Perceived Present Control scale (VPPC) has been developed to provide better insight into patients' perceived control over their thoughts or behaviors related to voice disorders. The objective of the present study was to validate the Korean VPPC (K-VPPC) by evaluating its internal consistency and reliability. Materials and Method All items of the English VPPC were translated into Korean. Content validity was analyzed through three Delphi survey rounds by an expert panel (n=44) with active clinical and research experience in treating dysphonic patients. Twenty-three patients with a heterogeneous diagnosis of dysphonia and twenty-three gender-matched vocally normal controls (total n=46) were asked to complete the K-VPPC and the Korean Voice Handicap Index-10 (KVHI-10). Psychometric properties including internal consistency and reliability were evaluated to examine the appropriateness of cross-cultural use of K-VPPC. Results Cronbach's alpha coefficient of K-VPPC was 0.89 for dysphonic patients, indicating good internal consistency in clinical samples. Furthermore, patients with dysphonia scored significantly lower on the total score of K-VPPC and higher on voice handicap than the vocally normal controls. Spearman's correlation coefficients indicated an inverse and moderate association between the K-VPPC and all domains of KVHI-10 (Spearman's r=-0.44- -0.68). Conclusion The findings of the current study indicated that the K-VPPC is a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of perceived control in Korean patients with dysphonia. Therefore, the K-VPPC could be a useful and complementary tool for the comprehensive evaluation of dysphonia, thereby improving care in Korean patients with voice disorders.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2023

A persulfate(PS)/sulfidated microscale zero-valent iron(S-mZVI) system was tested for treating a soil contaminated with phenol. Sulfidation of bare mZVI was conducted using a mechanochemical process utilizing a ball mill in order to improve persulfate activation capacity and stability of unmodified mZVI. The synthesized S-mZVI performed markedly better than the bare mZVI in activating PS. The optimum molar ratio of sulfur to mZVI was around 0.12. In the soil slurry experiments, a very rapid and complete removal of phenol was observed at the optimum molar ratios of PS to S-mZVI of 2:1 and PS to phenol of 16:1. The phenol removal efficiencies decreased as the water content of the slurries decreased. This was believed to be due to increased soil oxidant demand as the amount of soil was increased as relative to the water content. To evaluate the field applicability of the process, slurry experiments adopting high soil contents were carried out that simulated in-situ soil mixing conditions. These experiments resulted in substantially compromised degradation efficiencies of 54.3% and 43.8% within 4 hours. The current study generally shows that the PS/S-mZVI process has a potential to be developed into a remediation technology for soils contaminated with organics.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.131-144
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to review clinical studies on thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) for the treatment of patients with post-stroke spasticity (PSS) Methods: Clinical studies related to TEA treatment for PSS were searched for in several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, OASIS, and CNKI. After the selection/exclusion process, information on study design, disease, experimental/control group, intervention, outcome measurement, between-group differences, and adverse events was extracted. Results: A total of 13 randomized controlled trials were included in this review. The usual frequency of TEA treatment was once every 1-2 weeks, and the treatment most commonly included 4 sessions. In the dorsal area, EX-B2 and the acupoints in governing vessel meridian were commonly used. Acupoints in the meridian of the large intestine were most frequently used in the treatment of upper limb spasticity. Except for HT1, PC6, and PC8, all TEA points for treating PSS of the upper limb were on the Yang meridians. For the lower limb spasticity, the most frequently used acupoints were ST36, GB34, GB30, BL60, and BL57 on Yang meridians, and LR3, SP6, SP9, and SP10 on Yin meridians. TEA treatment showed better effects than conventional treatment for PSS in terms of spasticity, motor dysfunction, and activities of daily livings. Nevertheless, the absence of the follow-up observation, lack of sham TEA treatment, and low quality of the included studies necessitated caution in interpreting the results. Conclusions: The results of this review are expected to provide basic data on the modalities of TEA treatment for PSS and provide insights to facilitate well-designed studies in the future.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.328-339
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors plus apatinib and chemotherapy (PAC) in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC). Materials and Methods: Seventy-three patients with resectable LAGC were enrolled and named the PAC group (n=39) or apatinib plus chemotherapy (AC) group (n=34) based on the treatment they chose. Neoadjuvant therapy was administered in a 21-day cycle for 3 consecutive cycles, after which surgery was performed. Results: The PAC group exhibited a higher objective response rate than the AC group (74.4% vs. 58.8%, P=0.159). Moreover, the PAC group showed a numerically better response profile than the AC group (P=0.081). Strikingly, progression-free survival (PFS) (P=0.019) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.049) were prolonged, whereas disease-free survival (DFS) tended to be longer in the PAC group than in the AC group (P=0.056). Briefly, the 3-year PFS, DFS, and OS rates were 76.1%, 76.1%, and 86.7% in the PAC group and 46.9%, 49.9%, and 70.3% in the AC group, respectively. Furthermore, PAC (vs. AC) treatment (hazard ratio=0.286, P=0.034) was independently associated with prolonged PFS in multivariate Cox regression analyses. The incidence of adverse events did not differ between the two groups (all P>0.05), where leukopenia, anemia, hypertension, and other adverse events were commonly observed in the PAC group. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant PAC therapy may achieve a preferable pathological response, delayed progression, and prolonged survival compared to AC therapy with a similar safety profile in patients with LAGC; however, further validation is warranted.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.103-126
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• 2023

In the l950s, under the legacy of traditional agriculture, Ascaris lumbricoides, spread epidemically in the war-bitten society of Korea. Consensus on the parasite control was drafted in the Parasite Disease Prevention Act, which passed a parliamentary agreement in 1966, and established safe disposal of feces and mass chemotherapy as control strategies. Biannual stool examinations and treating infected schoolchildren were basic scheme of the control activity through which revenue could be secured for organized business. In the 27 years following 1969, a maximum of 16 million stool examinations had been done every year. Cellophane thick smear enabled the task. The infection declined remarkably in the 1970s when industrialization and green revolution proceeded. A population study of A. lumbricoides in the late 1970s helped us better understand its epidemiology. The data also settled down the understandable protest of teachers against the repeated stool examinations. In the 9 years following 1987, the target population was gradually reduced when the egg positive rate was below 0.1%. An article in the Korean Law, stipulating obligatory stool examinations, was made optional. Although the long-term Korean effort of Ascaris control was a success, the effect of mass chemotherapy was not as succinct in terms of lowering reinfection. In the period of control, Korean agricultural technology changed, and the economy grew and supplied sanitary facilities by which the vicious cycle was disconnected. Reduction of morbidity was a benefit of mass chemotherapy, which is the only control method feasible in economically difficult countries. The most important hurdle of parasite control in the 1960s was poverty of general population and limited financial resources in Korea but the society formed a consensus on the priority of intestinal helminthiasis control during the ordeal period. The national consensus in the 1960s was the critical milestone for Ascaris control in Korea. Under the social agreement, application of timely technical and research advancements in parasitology achieved the success of ascariasis elimination. The successful experience of ascariasis elimination in Korea can be a benchmark for countries where neglected tropical diseases are endemically recycled.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.462-475
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the incidence and risk factors of complications following gastric cancer surgery in Korea and to compare the correlation between hospital complications based on the annual number of gastrectomies performed. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 12,244 patients from 64 Korean institutions. Complications were classified using the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for severe complications. Results: Postoperative complications occurred in 14% of the patients, severe complications (CDC IIIa or higher) in 4.9%, and postoperative death in 0.2%. The study found that age, stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, hospital stay, approach methods, and extent of gastric resection showed statistically significant differences depending on hospital volumes (P<0.05). In the univariate analysis, patient age, comorbidity, ASA score, ECOG score, approach methods, extent of gastric resection, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, and hospital volume were significant risk factors for severe complications. However, only age, sex, ASA score, ECOG score, extent of gastric resection, and TNM stage were statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (P<0.05). Hospital volume was not a significant risk factor in the multivariate analysis (P=0.152). Conclusions: Hospital volume was not a significant risk factor for complications after gastric cancer surgery. The differences in the frequencies of complications based on hospital volumes may be attributed to larger hospitals treating patients with younger age, lower ASA scores, better general conditions, and earlier TNM stages.