• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to examine the effects of auricular acupressure therapy on smoking cessation for female university students. Method. The research design was a nonequivalent control group nonsynchronized design. Subjects were 60 (Experimental: 30, Control: 30) smoking female university students. The measuring tools were the number of cigarettes smoked per day, dependency on nicotine, and need for smoking. Auricular acupressure therapy, an experimental treatment, was applied 3 times a day, 2 days a week, for 2 weeks. Data was collected from March 2006 to October 2006. Data was analyzed using the SPSS PC+ 12 version. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, $x^2$-test, and Fisher's exact test were used for each aim of this study. Result: The number of cigarettes smoked per day (t=8.63, p=.00), dependency on nicotine (t=18.15, p=.00), and need for smoking (t=14.23, p=.00) significantly decreased in the experimental group by application of auricular acupressure therapy. Conclusion: Auricular acupressure therapy can be a better effective primary nursing intervention on smoking cessation for female university students shown through studies of repetition.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of auricular acupressure therapy on reducing the ocular symptoms and signs for dry eye syndrome. Methods: The participants who were aged ≥ 40 years old and met the inclusion criteria of the ocular surface disease index score ≥ 13 and a tear film break-up time ≤ 10 seconds were enrolled into the two groups: experimental group (n=29) and control group (n=27). Experimental group received auricular acupressure therapy for 8 weeks. Seed stickers were applied to the eye, liver and tubercle point of each ear once a week. Data were collected at pre and 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment and analysed the efficacy of intervention by repeated measures ANOVA. Results: There were significant differences in the ocular surface disease index, standard patient evaluation of eye dryness and a tear film break-up time in both eyes at 8 weeks after the treatment between the two groups. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the auricular acupressure therapy may be helpful for relieving symptoms of dry eye as a nursing intervention. In addition, it could also be utilized as a self-care practice using proper education and training.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.567-573
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• 2008

Cancer is now the leading fatal disease in every developed country. Due to very low efficiency of conventional cancer therapeutics and important aspect of quality of life (QOL), complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) has been accepted worldwide, especially by late-staged cancer patients. Oriental medicine traditionally has stressed not only the tumor itself but the body having cancer, improving cancer-related immunity and extending survival period. Herein, we report one case of a terminal staged rectal cancer patient having spread-metastasis but showing a meaningful clinical course of around four years with Oriental medicine therapies. This study aimed to report the clinical capacity of Oriental medicine for patients with cancerous disease, to help development of Oriental medicine-derived anticancer treatments.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-45
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• 2005

많은 암 환자들이 보완대체의학(CAM)의 치료법을 이용한다. 의사들은 보완대체의학 치료법에 대한 권위 있는 정보들을 이를 찾는 환자들에게 책임 있는 조언을 줄 수 있기 위해 필요로 한다. 이 글은 암 환자에게 일반적으로 사용되는 선택된 보완대체의학 치료법의 효과와 안정성에 대한 최근의 증거를 요약했다. 식이요법과 보조식품, 한약 및 기타 생약제재, 침, 마사지, 운동, 심리 및 심신의학 등의 주요 카테고리가 포함되었다. 효과의 증거에 대한 '가능한 질병진행과 생존율에 대한 효과' 및 '가능한 완화효과'의 두 가지 범주가 고려되었다. 안전성의 증거를 평가하는데 있어 '직적접인 부작용의 위험'과 '통상적 치료법과의 상호작용에 의한 위험'의 두 가지 위험 요소가 고려되었다. 각각의 치료에 있어 효용성과 안정성에 대한 현재의 균형은 이 치료법이 적절히 권고가 되고 수용되어지거나(예를 들어 유방암과 전립선암을 가진 영양 섭취가 충분한 환자의 식이지방 감소) 억제되는 것을(예를 들어 과량의 비타민 A 보조제) 제시한다. 이러한 전략은 보완대체의학의 치료법을 찾는 암환자들에게 책임 있고 근거중심적이고 환자중심적인 조언을 제공하는 것을 발전시킬 수 있다.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.256-264
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was to identify the effects of self-administered hand reflexology on level of fatigue in college student nurses during clinical practice. Method: A non-equivalent control group, quasi-experimental research with pre and post-test design was used. Forty-seven student nurses in clinical practice were assigned to either an experimental or control group. The experimental group performed self-hand reflexology for 10 minutes once a day during the 5 days of clinical practice. Results: 1. While there was a significant difference in degree of fatigue and fatigue scores in the experimental group over time, there was no significant difference between the two groups. 2. Vigor score for the experimental group was significantly higher than those of the control group during the 5 days except for day 5, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. 3, Levels of fatigue for the experimental group increased after 1 hour in the 1st post time, but there was no significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Self-administered hand reflexology was not found to be an effective method for relieving fatigue for student nurses in clinical practice. Also physiological effects were not identified in this study, and so further research is needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.177-182
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• 2018

Background: Breast cancer is a treatable disease, but some women reject conventional treatment in favor of unproven "alternative therapies," which may have serious implications for their survival. Therefore, a process is needed to lead them to more appropriate treatment choices. Case presentation: Here, we present the case of a 51-year-old Korean female diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer (stage IIB, T2N1M0) in Nov. 2015. She refused a standard surgical resection together with chemotherapy and opted instead for moxibustion by nonmedical personnel. Consequently, her preference for alternative therapy without conventional treatment exacerbated her disease. Just a little over a year later, integrative cancer treatment, including chemotherapy based on histological founding, and complementary treatment, comprised of acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine, were administered for 5 months. Finally, she successfully underwent modified radical mastectomy showing a pathological complete response. She received only adjuvant chemotherapy without any alternative medicine afterwards, and she maintained a good status without recurrence. Conclusion: In the case of breast cancer patients who are resistant to surgery and chemotherapy, integrative therapy considering adverse effects from conventional treatment should be preferred to bitter opposition to alternative medicine.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.152-159
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• 2022

Background: Subjects with frozen shoulder (FS) might not be comfortable with vigorous physical therapy. Clinical trials assessing the effect of graded motor imagery (GMI) in FS are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of GMI as an adjunct to conventional physiotherapy in individuals with painful FS. Methods: Twenty subjects aged 40-65 years having stage I and II of FS were randomly divided into two study groups. The conventional physiotherapy group (n = 10) received electrotherapy and exercises while the GMI group (n = 10) received GMI along with the conventional physiotherapy thrice a week for 3 weeks. Pre- (Session 1) and post- (Session 9) intervention analysis for flexion, abduction, and external rotation range of motion (ROM) using a universal goniometer, fear of movement using the fear avoidance belief questionnaire (FABQ), pain with the visual analogue scale, and functional disability using the shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) was done by a blinded assessor. Results: Statistically significant difference was seen within both the groups for all the outcomes. In terms of increasing abduction ROM as well as reducing fear of movement, pain, and functional disability, the GMI group was significantly better than control group. However, both groups were equally effective for improving flexion and external rotation ROM. Conclusions: Addition of GMI to the conventional physiotherapy proved to be superior to conventional physiotherapy alone in terms of reducing pain, kinesiophobia, and improving shoulder function for stage I and II of FS.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of auricular acupressure on insomnia. Methods: Forty-four adults with insomnia for >1 month were recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. In the experimental group, acupressure stickers were attached to the areas of Pineal Gland (TG1), Aggressivity point (LO2), Point Zero (HX1), and Occiput (AT3) for 1 week. Sleep hygiene education materials were provided to the control group, but acupressure was not provided. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS ver. 26 program. Results: As a result of controlling for the severity of insomnia (F=5.40, p=.025) and headache (F=4.60, p=.038), which showed a significant difference in the homogeneity test as covariates, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score in the experimental group decreased compared to that in the control group . Conclusion: The result of this study showed that auricular acupressure was helpful in improving insomnia.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2023

Many psychiatric disorders are associated with brain functional dysfunctions and neuronal degeneration. According to the research so far, enhanced brain plasticity reduces neurodegeneration and recovers neuronal damage. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most extensively studied neurotrophins in the mammalian brain that plays major roles in neuronal survival, development, growth, and maintenance of neurons in brain circuits related to emotion and cognitive function. Also, BDNF plays an important role in brain plasticity, influencing dendritic spines in the hippocampus neurogenesis. Changes in neurogenesis and dendritic density can improve psychiatric symptoms and cognitive functions. BDNF has potent effects on brain plasticity through biochemical mechanisms, cellular signal pathways, and epigenetic changes. There are pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to increase the expression of BDNF and enhance brain plasticity. Non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise, nutritional change, environmental enrichment, and neuromodulation have biological mechanisms that increase the expression of BDNF and brain plasticity. Non-pharmacological interventions are cost-effective and safe ways to improve psychiatric symptoms.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.513-520
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• 2023

Cornuside is a secoiridoid glucoside compound extracted from the fruits of Cornus officinalis. Cornuside has immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its potential therapeutic effects on diabetic nephropathy (DN) have not been completely explored. In this study, we established an in vitro model of DN through treating mesangial cells (MMCs) with glucose. MMCs were then treated with different concentrations of cornuside (0, 5, 10, and 30 μM). Cell viability was determined using cell counting kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of AKT and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-associated genes. We found that cornuside treatment significantly reduced glucose-induced increase in MMC viability and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, cornuside inhibited glucose-induced phosphorylation of AKT and NF-κB inhibitor alpha, decreased the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin D1, and increased the expression of p21. Our study indicates that the anti-inflammatory properties of cornuside in DN are due to AKT and NF-κB inactivation in MMCs.