• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.167-169
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• 2010

We report a case of Hymenolepis diminuta infection in a 2-year-old child living in a suburban area of Catania, Italy. This case was initially referred to us as Dipylidium caninum infection, which was not cured after being treated twice with mebendazole. However, by analyzing the clinical presentation and stool samples we arrived to the diagnosis of H. diminuta infection. The case presented with atypical allergic manifestations which had never been reported as clinical features of symptomatic H. diminuta infection; remittent fever with abdominal pain, diffuse cutaneous itching, transient thoracic rash, and arthromyalgias. The patient was treated with a 7-day cycle of oral niclosamide, which proved to be safe and effective. This case report emphasizes that a correct parasitological diagnosis requires adequate district laboratories and trained personnel. In addition, we recommend the importance of reporting all H. diminuta infection cases, in order to improve knowledge on epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment protocols.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.229-232
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• 2008

Insufficiency fractures of the sacrum are relatively common and cause severe low back and buttock pain. Percutaneous vertebroplasty is effective for treating vertebral compression fractures. We present a case of percutaneous sacroplasty for the treatment of low back and buttock pain in a sacral insufficiency fracture. A 79-year-old male with non-small lung cancer presented with severe low back and buttock pain after series of radiation treatments. Preoperative MRI showed both a sacral ala and S2 metastatic insufficiency fracture. An epidural port was inserted for continuous morphine infusion and sacral nerve root blocks were performed. However, his pain did not diminish and we attempted percutaneous sacroplasty. Both sides of the sacroplasty were done with a fluoroscopy-guided technique with 1.7 ml and 2.3 ml of bone cement injected into the right and left sacral ala. Pain relief was significant and the patient was able to sit down 1 day after the procedure.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.235-239
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• 2007

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is believed to be a benign disease. However, numerous studies have reported serious complications related to SIH, including subdural hematoma. In this case report, a 54-year-old male patient visited the emergency room with orthostatic headache. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study showed diffuse mild thickening and enhancement of pachymeninges, with a suspicious minimal amount of subdural fluid collected in the left posterior parietal area. His orthostatic headache showed no improvement with conservative treatment; but his pain was almost completely relieved after two trials of cervical epidural blood patch. On the 74th day after the onset of his pain, the patient showed a drowsy mental status and slurred speech when he visited the pain clinic. Brain computerized tomography indicated a left subdural hemorrhage, and he underwent emergency operation to drain the SDH. In conclusion, pain clinicians should pay attention to abrupt changes in mental status as well as continuous headache, for the early diagnosis of SDH in SIH patients.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.811-815
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of electric fan installation for milk production improvement of dairy cattle in Thailand. The study was conducted using 2 small-holder dairy farms in Chiang Mai province, during April to August 2004. Electric fans were installed in front of each row of cows. Each of the two rows of cows in the barn was defined as an experimental unit, thus each farm had two experimental units. The fans were operated alternately in 7-day intervals between rows of cows within each farm during the day or between 8.00 am to 8.00 pm. Non-operation periods were used as control. Milk yields were recorded. Data on environmental temperature and humidity were obtained from Chiang Mai Meteorological Center. Result from statistically analysis of milk record suggested an interaction between lactation period and fan installation. Therefore, this interaction term of lactation period and fan installation (PERIOD_FAN) was added as a variable to the regression model. Due to the repeated data collection of milk yield from the same cow (alternate week), milk yield was analyzed by repeated measure analysis (Mixed model). Least square means were calculated for all levels and used to compare between each pair-wise values. The final data were collected from the total of 18 cows with 2,072 data. Overall means and SEM of milk yields and days in milk separated into farm were $14.7{\pm}0.06kg/day$ and $176.3{\pm}2.2days$, and $15.2{\pm}0.22kg/day$ and $202.5{\pm}3.7$ days for farm A and farm B, respectively. For multivariable analysis, only PERIOD_FAN and humidity were significantly associated with milk yield. Only the first period of lactation showed that the amount of milk yields during fan installation was higher than that of non-fan installation (p<0.05). Cows with fan installation produced approximately 1.2 kg/cow more milk than cows without fan installation during this period. In conclusion, the use of electric fan operated during the day time increased milk production of cows during the first period of lactation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2000

Objective: The objective of this study is to influence of sequential embryo transfers in an invitro fertilization was examined. Method: After in vitro fertilization, a maximum of 6 fertilized oocytes was enrolled in this study. At day 3 after an oocytes retrieval, embryos with good quality were transferred (mean 4.9), remaining embryos (mean 2.0/cycle) were cryopreserved at blastocyst stage (Group 1). At day 5 after oocytes collection, second a embryo transfer (mean 1.2/cycle) was performed, if one of these embryos had reached the blastocyst stage (Group 2) using P1 supplemented with 10 SSS and 30% Follicular fluid. No statistical difference in the pregnancy rate could be seen between the group without a second embryo transfer (n=21; 28.6%) and the group with a second transfer (n=52; 28.8%). Results: The incidence of multiple pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was not statistically different between both group and no high-rank multiple pregnancy (greater than triplete) were observed (0.9%, 15.4%, respectively, p=0.74, ${\chi}^2$). Out of 114 cycles (506 embryos) cultured embryos in group 2, 52 cycles (159 embryos, 29.8%) reached the blastocyst stage. Conclusion: The second transfer did not have a significant effect on the pregnancy rate. The most important factor for the pregnancy seems to be the quality of the embryos transferred on day 3 following oocyte retrieval. We recommend embryo transfer is performed only one, day $2{\sim}3$ or D5.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.325-333
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• 1997

The use of hormonal stimulation in human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) leads to increased production of embryos for ET. So to avoid high pregnancies and to allow conception in future, unstimulated cycles, cryopreservation of spare embryos is desirable. One of the improvement of cryopreservation methods is vitrification. We cryopreserved mouse day 3 embryos by vitrification using the three different vitrification solution (EFS40, VS11 and VS3a). EFS40 solution is consisted of 40% (v/v) ethylene glycol, Ficol170 30% (w/v) and 0.5M sucrose and VS11 is 6.0M ethylene glycol and 1.8M glycerol. And VS3a is 6.5M glycerol and 6% (w/v) BSA (bovine serum albumin). First we tested the toxicity of three vitrification solution by exposure to these solution during 3 min. After washing by thawing solution, the survival rates of each groups are 95.5%, 90.9% and 84.4% (EFS40, VS11 and VS3a). High percentages of them developed to expanded blastocyst and hatching embryos in culture 48hrs 94.2%, 97.7%, 100% and 97.4% (no treatment group, EFS40, VS11 and VS3a). So there is no significant differences among the each group. Second, after thawing of vitirfied embryos, the survival rates of each groups are 96.8% (slow freeze), 94.1% (EFS40), 85.5% (VS11) and 80.0% (VS3a, P vs. no freeze or EFS40 is 0.01). Vitrified embryos exhibited a high rate of development in vitro after 48hrs culture. The percentages of each group to blastocyst and hatching embryos are 88.7% (no freeze), 91.8% (slow freeze), 93.4% (EFS40), 87.7% (VS11) and 73.0% (VS3a, P vs. other group is 0.01). The results suggest that there is no significant differences in exposure of various vitrification solution and day 3 mouse embryos can be vitrified in solution EFS40 and VS11 by simple procedure.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.19-23
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• 2011

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate safety of Rhus Verniciflua STOKES as a combination therapy of Oriental and conventional cancer treatment. So, We investigated liver function test(especially total bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP) levels in outpatients at an oriental medical clinic, to know whether Rhus Verniciflua STOKES decotion (Chijongtang) was hepatotoxic. The outpatients were treated with Rhus Verniciflua STOKES decotion(Chijongtang) during intravenous or oral chemotherapy. Methods : We surveyed whether Chijongtang caused liver injury in patients, who visited and took Chijongtang at Hana oriental medical clinic, from March, 2008 to November 2011. We looked over all the liver function tests of those patients, done during medication. Patients who had no records of liver function tests or with basal liver disease were excluded. And patients were classified into normal and abnormal liver function groups. Results and Conclusions : 48 patients were enrolled, and their mean dosage was 300ml/day, and the mean medication period was 9.3 (2-42) months. During and after medication, there were no abnormal liver function test results at all, in the normal liver function group. and 10 out of 11 patients in the abnormal liver function group showed normal liver function test levels. Roughly speaking, according to the above results, it seems that taking Chijongtang did not cause hepatotoxicity. And it seems Chijongtang has hepatoprotective effect. But we still need more laboratory and clinical research to reach a more definitive conclusion.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.104-112
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• 2018

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine whether the topical preparations containing 12 herbal extracts is effective for patients with atopic dermatitis. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 11 patients who were prescribed topical preparations containing 12 herbal extracts on the outpatient clinic of 4 hospitals; Noble Korean Medicine Clinic, Amar Korean Medicine Clinic, Chung-Yeon Korean Medical Hospital, Donggwangju Chung-Yeon Korean Medical Hospital. Results and Conclusions : A total of 11 patients were included in the selection and exclusion criteria. The OSI mean value before treatment and at the last treatment day decreased significantly from $37.03{\pm}16.75$ to $13.32{\pm}9.83$, and the mean value of EASI decreased from $13.33{\pm}12.85$ to $2.78{\pm}5.00$, which was statistically significant. No safety concerns were reported. The results of this study confirmed the possibility that the topical preparations can be effective in moderate to severe infants, adolescents, and adult atopic dermatitis patients.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.631-637
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of the study is to propose the fundamental data for further developments of the school dental clinic program through evaluating comprehensive improvements of the indices and the oral health status. Methods : This studied was carried out from December 2010 to September 2012. Subjects were 239 elementary school 4th, 5th, 6th grade students having no school dental clinic and 195 elementary school 4th, 5th, 6th grade students having school dental clinic in Busan. They completed self-reported questionnaires after accepting informed consent. The questionnaire included knowledges, attitudes and practices for oral health recognition and supports of the school dental clinic program. Results : Permanent tooth caries prevention rate revealed 59.0%, 53.3%, and 62.0%. in 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively. Rate of Care Group with fissure sealant permanent teeth showed 80.3%, 88.0%, and 88.9% respectively. Index of Care Group with fissure sealant permanent teeth revealed 2.68, 2.90, and 3.97, respectively. DMFT index of Care Group was 1.11, 1.35, and 1.51, respectively. Active D rate of Care Group resulted in 16.7%, 24.1%, and 16.7%, respectively. Dental health education group showed high awareness level of fluoride and sealant effect for caries prevention. Tooth brushing of three times per day was more effective when using rolling tooth brushing. On the other hand, oral health recognition and oral status in the control group was low. Conclusions : Oral health recognition was closely related to good oral care. Expansion of oral health care business is important to prevent dental caries. Systematic approach for oral health education programs and human resources development is very important to improve oral health care.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the day hospital program for Korean eating disorders patients and to examine the effect of the day hospital program on improving frequency of binging and purging, eating disorders symptoms, self-esteem, and depression. Method: The subjects were 24 binge eaters visited at eating disorders clinic 'M'. They participated in a modified day hospital program based on the Toronto Day Hospital Program. All subjects completed the Eating Disorders Inventory(EDI)-2, Rosenberg Self-Eesteem Scale, Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) at pre and post intervention, and recorded daily food records. Results: In paired t-test analysis, frequency of binging and purging, self-esteem, depression, and 11 sub-scales of EDI-2(drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness, interoceptive awareness, perfectionism, interpersonal distrust, maturity fear, asceticism, impulse regulation, social insecurity) were significantly improved after treatment. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the day hospital program for Korean eating disorders patients may be an effective initial approach to overcoming various eating disorders symptoms. Further studies should investigate longer term outcome data using a larger sample.