• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.47-55
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• 2021

In order to ensure the fact that eight principle pattern differentiation is used clinically as a basic guideline for Korean medicine practice, the definition, role and method of yin-yang pattern differentiation with its case report were explored at first. Yinyang Pattern Differentiation is a method of discriminating human tendencies or morbidity based on the yin and yang characteristics expressed in living bodies. And yin and yang are the two contrasting characteristics and aspects of the interaction when certain physical conditions that have a lasting effect on the human physiological metabolic function are correlated with the morbidity. Specific methods of yinyang pattern differentiation can be divided into several types of yin and yang indicators. First, time and space factors like day and night, hot and cold seasons, above and below, topographical districts. Second, colors and pulse and their/or relative clearness and muddiness, hardness and softness, moving and resting. Third, diagnose yin and yang patterns through distinguishing the true and false of a fever and cold in an emergency phase such as increase of brain pressure and shock state. Fourth, general characteristics of the propensity and constitution of a subject such as body type, speech, behavior, and physiological metabolism. And for clinical use, these were summarized again as a symptom indicators of physical signs and color, pulse, tongue and questionnaire indicators of propensity, body type, and space-time characteristics. Conclusively, it was confirmed that yinyang pattern differentiation has its own diagnostic significance which is distinct from exterior-interior, cold-heat and deficiency-excess pattern differentiation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.13-26
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• 2021

Objectives : This study was planned to help clinical treatment by examining the efficacy and frequency of use of medicines with removing nebula and improving vision action, centering on historical literature. Methods : Chinese literature centered on CNKI published after 2000 and ophthalmic books of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Library, regardless of the publication period. Domestic literature was searched using NDSL and OASIS, and literature published after 2000 was referenced. Results : According to traditional medical classics, as medicine with removing nebula and improving vision action, medicine with dispelling wind and clearing heat action accounted for the majority. However, it is desirable to use these medicine in the early stages of the disease. Conclusions : 1. Among the external contacts that induce corneal opacity, the wind-heat pattern was the most common. Among the visceral manifestation patterns that induce corneal opacity, liver or spleen was the most common. Cold-tempered medicine which is dispelling wind, clearing heat and bottling up the liver were most commonly used as therapeutic medicine. 2. As removing nebula and improving vision medicine, Cassiae Semen, Chrysanthmi Flos, Eriocauli Flos, and Buddlejae Flos have been widely used. 3. It has been investigated that removing nebula and improving vision medicine can be effectively used in the early stages of various diseases that cause corneal opacity.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.38.1-38.24
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• 2020

African swine fever (ASF), caused by the ASF virus, a member of the Asfarviridae family, is one of the most important diseases in the swine industry due to its clinical and economic impacts. Since the first report of ASF a century ago, ample information has become available, but prevention and treatment measures are still inadequate. Two waves of epizootic outbreaks have occurred worldwide. While the first wave of the epizootic outbreak was controlled in most of the infected areas, the second wave is currently active in the European and Asian continents, causing severe economic losses to the pig industry. There are different patterns of spreading in the outbreaks between those in European and Asian countries. Prevention and control of ASF are very difficult due to the lack of available vaccines and effective therapeutic measures. However, recent outbreaks in South Korea have been successfully controlled on swine farms, although feral pigs are periodically being found to be positive for the ASF virus. Therefore, we would like to share our story regarding the preparation and application of control measures. The success in controlling ASF on farms in South Korea is largely due to the awareness and education of swine farmers and practitioners, the early detection of infected animals, the implementation of strict control policies by the government, and widespread sharing of information among stakeholders. Based on the experience gained from the outbreaks in South Korea, this review describes the current understanding of the ASF virus and its pathogenic mechanisms, epidemiology, and control.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.520-528
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• 2022

Objectives: Thiamine is thought to modify sleeping patterns, while alcohol use diminishes internal thiamine levels. We investigated the association between thiamine intake and sleep duration and explored possible heterogeneity in the effect according to alcohol use. Methods: In total, 15 384 participants aged 19-64 were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2012-2016. Nutrient intake, including thiamine, was measured using a food frequency questionnaire. Sleep duration was measured by a self-reported questionnaire. The highest thiamine intake quartile was set as the reference group. Participants were divided into 3 groups, with 7-8 hours of daily sleep as a reference group and those who slept more or less than that as "oversleeping" and "insufficient sleeping," respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used, adjusting for socioeconomic, medical, and nutritional factors. Additionally, participants were stratified according to high-risk alcohol use defined by the World Health Organization standards on alcohol use. Results: Low thiamine intake was associated with oversleeping (Q3: odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86 to 1.32; Q2: OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.55; Q1: OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.91) and showed a significant trend for higher ORs at lower intake levels (p-trend<0.001). The effect was stronger in the high-risk alcohol use group (Q1: OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.28 to 2.49). Conclusions: Low thiamine intake was associated with oversleeping, and alcohol use intensified that association. These results were found in a context where overt clinical symptoms due to thiamine deficiency are considered rare. More awareness of the potential relationship of thiamine intake with oversleeping and its related risks should be considered.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.652-664
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• 2022

The Kernohan-Woltman notch phenomenon (KWNP) refers to an intracranial lesion causing massive side-to-side mass effect which leads to compression of the contralateral cerebral peduncle against the free edge of the cerebellar tentorium. Diagnosis is based on "paradoxical" motor deficit ipsilateral to the lesion associated with radiologic evidence of damage to the contralateral cerebral peduncle. To date, there is scarce evidence regarding KWNP associated neuroimaging patterns and motor function prognostic factors. A systematic review was conducted on Medline database from inception to July 2021 looking for English-language articles concerning KWNP, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The research yielded 45 articles for a total of 51 patients. The mean age was 40.7 years-old and the male/female sex ratio was 2/1. 63% of the patients (32/51) suffered from head trauma with a majority of acute subdural hematomas (57%, 29/51). 57% (29/51) of the patients were in the coma upon admission and 47% (24/51) presented pupil anomalies. KWNP presented the neuroimaging features of compression ischemic stroke located in the contralateral cerebral peduncle, with edema in the surrounding structures and sometimes compression stroke of the cerebral arteries passing nearby. 45% of the patients (23/51) presented a good motor functional outcome; nevertheless, no predisposing factor was identified. A Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of more than 3 showed a trend (p=0.1065) toward a better motor functional outcome. The KWNP is a regional compression syndrome oftentimes caused by sudden and massive uncal herniation and leading to contralateral cerebral peduncle ischemia. Even though patients suffering from KWNP usually present a good overall recovery, patients with a GCS of 3 may present a worse motor functional outcome. In order to better understand this syndrome, future studies will have to focus on more personalized criteria such as individual variation of tentorial notch width.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-39
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• 2022

Background: Acupotomy is a type of acupuncture where a scalpel-shaped needle (miniscalpel needle) is used instead of a normal acupuncture needle to exfoliate adhesion sites or to relax entrapped regions. This study aimed to identify the descriptive characteristics of patients who received acupotomy treatment at a single Korean Medicine Clinic. Methods: This retrospective review analyzed the medical charts of patients who had received acupotomy at least once from August 2017 to December 2019 at a single Korean Medicine Clinic. The demographic characteristics, chief complaints, acupotomy treatment sites, and principal diagnosis codes were analyzed. Results: We identified 551 outpatients; the average age was 52 ± 14.26 years and 49.9% were male. The patients underwent an average of 8.47 sessions of acupotomy. Altogether, 35.91% of the acupotomy treatments were administered to the spinal regions, of which 60.01% were in the lumbar region. The codes related to the lumbar spinal condition/disease which were used most frequently. The chief complaints were dizziness, lumbar spinal stenosis, and Dupuytren's contracture in patients over 60 years of age. Conclusion: This is the 1^st analysis of acupotomy treatment patterns in Korea to date. Acupotomy is primarily administered in the treatment of spinal conditions/diseases, especially for those involving the lumbar region. Future studies are necessary to determine the clinical outcomes of patients who receive acupotomy treatment and the safety of this treatment.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.429-439
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• 2023

Background: The incidence and clinical importance of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged. However, effective therapeutic strategies for NAFLD have yet to be found. Panax ginseng (P. ginseng) is a traditional herb in Eastern Asia with therapeutic effects in many chronic disorders. However, the precise effects of ginseng extract on NAFLD are currently unknown. In present study, the therapeutic effects of Rg3-enriched red ginseng extract (Rg3-RGE) on the progression of NAFLD were explored. Methods: Twelve-week-old C57BL/6 male mice were fed a chow or western diet supplemented with high sugar water solution with or without Rg3-RGE. Histopathology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, serum biochemistry, western blot analysis, and quantitative RT-PCR were used for in vivo experiment. Conditionally immortalized human glomerular endothelial cell (CiGEnC) and primary liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) were used for in vitro experiments. Results: Eight weeks of Rg3-RGE treatment significantly attenuated the inflammatory lesions of NAFLD. Furthermore, Rg3-RGE inhibited the inflammatory infiltrate in liver parenchyma and the expression of adhesive molecules to LSECs. Moreover, the Rg3-RGE exhibited similar patterns on the in vitro assays. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that Rg3-RGE treatment ameliorates NAFLD progression by inhibiting chemotaxis activities in LSECs.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.232-240
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the zygomaticotemporal suture (ZTS) maturation, analyze the age distribution patterns of ZTS maturation stages, and investigate the relationship between ZTS and cervical vertebral maturation (CVM). Methods: A total of 261 patients who underwent cone-beam computed tomography (112 males, mean age, 13.1 ± 3.3 years; 149 females, mean age, 13.7 ± 3.1 years) were examined to evaluate the ZTS stages. The ZTS stages were defined based on a modified method from previous studies on zygomaticomaxillary sutures. Differences between groups and correlations between indicators were analyzed using the Spearman correlation test, intraclass coefficient of correlation (ICC), one-way analysis of variance and rank sum test. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The diagnostic value of CVM stages in identifying ZTS maturation stages was evaluated using positive likelihood ratios (LRs). Results: A positive relationship was found between the ZTS and CVM stage (r = 0.747, ICC = 0.621, p < 0.01) and between the ZTS stage and chronological age (r = 0.727, ICC = 0.330, p < 0.01). Positive LRs > 10 were found for several cervical stages (CSs), including CS1 and CS2 for the diagnosis of stage B, CS1 to CS3 for the diagnosis of stages B and C, and CS6 for the diagnosis of stages D and E. Conclusions: The ZTS maturation stage may be more relevant to the CVM stage than to the chronological age. The CVM stages can be good indicators for clinical decisions regarding maxillary protraction, except for CS4 and CS5.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.385-392
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the epidemiology, management, outcomes, and postoperative disabilities of degloving soft tissue injuries (DSTIs) treated at a tertiary care center in northern India. Methods: A prospective study of patients with DSTIs was conducted over 15 months. The type of degloving injury, the mechanism of injury, and any associated injuries were analyzed using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 along with the management, outcomes, and disabilities at a 3-month follow-up. Results: Among 75 patients with DSTIs, the average age was 27.5 years, 80.0% were male, and 76.0% had been injured in traffic accidents. The majority (93.3%) were open degloving injuries. Lower limbs were affected most often (62.7%), followed by upper limbs (32.0%). Fractures were the most commonly associated injuries (72.0%). Most patients required more than two procedures, including secondary debridement (41.3%), split skin grafting (80.0%), flap coverage (12.0%), or vacuum-assisted closure (24.0%), while five patients underwent conservative management for closed degloving injuries. Postoperative complications included surgical site infections (14.7%) and skin necrosis (10.7%). Two patients died due to septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The mean length of hospital stay was 11.5±8.1 days, with injuries affecting the lower limbs and perineum requiring longer hospital stays. The mean WHODAS 2.0 disability score at 3 months was 19. Most patients had mild disabilities. Time away from work depended largely upon the site and severity of the injury. Approximately 75% of patients resumed their previous job or study, 14% changed their job, and 8% stopped working completely due to residual disability. Conclusions: DSTIs are common injuries in trauma and management is challenging. Although open DSTI are clinically evident at secondary survey, closed degloving injuries may be missed in the primary survey, necessitating a high index of suspicion, thorough clinical examination, and protocol-based management. Primary preventive strategies (e.g., road safety protocols, preplacement training, and proper protective equipment in industries) are also needed to reduce the incidence of these injuries.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.327-335
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• 2023

Purpose: Cerebellar injury can be caused by a variety of factors, including trauma, stroke, and tumor. Cerebellar injury can manifest in different clinical symptoms and signs depending on the size and location of the injury. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the recovery patterns of each motor function by tracking the motor levels of patients with cerebellar injury. Methods: This study recruited 11 patients with quadriplegia resulting from cerebellar injury. The motricity index (MI), modified Brunnstrom classification (MBC), and functional ambulation category (FAC) methods were used to evaluate motor levels. The motor function evaluation was performed immediately after the onset of the condition and at intervals of one month, two months, and six months after onset. Results: The MI values of the upper and lower extremities and hand function (MBC) indicated severe paralysis in the early stages of onset. Compared to the onset time, significant motor function recovery was observed after 1, 2, and 6 months (p < 0.05). In contrast, there was no significant pattern of recovery between 1, 2, and 6 months after onset (p > 0.05). FAC indicated showed significant recovery at one month compared to onset (p<0.05), and there was also a significant difference between 1 and 2 months (p < 0.05). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in FAC between 2 and 6 months (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with cerebellar injury showed significant recovery in functions related to muscle strength and voluntary muscle control one month after onset and gradually recovered further over the next six months. On the other hand, gait function, which is closely related to balance, showed a relatively slow recovery pattern from the beginning of the disease to the six month follow-up.