• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.224-237
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• 2004

Background & Object : It is well known that functional dyspepsia is one of the most common diseases. While many dyspepsia patients have been helped with oriental medical therapy, there has not been a study based on the concepts of oriental medicine. The aim of this study was to perform a fundamental epidemiological survey and to analyse the symptom pattern of functional dyspepsia. Methods : 86 patients(27 males, 59 females) diagnosed with functional dyspepsia in Kyunghee Oriental Medical Center from May to December 2002 were involved in this investigation. The disease characteristics of functional dyspepsia(based on Rome criteria II) and the Qui Xue Shui diagnostic procedure were investigated by questionnaire and physical examination. The total score and composition ratio of each comprehensive diagnosis were calculated from the symptom score described in the questionnaire. Results : The total score from the Qui Xue Shui diagnostic procedure was found to be influenced by the number of functional dyspepsia symptoms(p=0.026) and the patient's own cognition of their current dyspeptic situation(p=0.006), in addition to digestive ability and general congnition(p=0.006), and was not associated with sex, duration of dyspeptic symptoms in one year, or the total illness period, In the composition ratio of the Qui Xue Shui diagnostic procedure, only Qui-yu(p=0.048) diagnosis was accurate regarding the number of symptoms in one year, total illness period, or the patients' own congnition of their current dyspeptic situation, But the value of the composition ratio among the total factors involved was most similar to that of sex. Conclusions : Thus, it is shown here that the total score of using the Qui Xue Shui diagnostic procedure is mainly dependent on dyspeptic symptoms and the patinets' own cognition of their current dyspeptic situation, and that regular symptom patterns in the Qui Xue Shui diagnostic procedure exist in dyspeptic patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.264-268
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the effects on muscle thickness and balance ability after performing plank exercise on various surface types. Methods: In this study, there were thirty healthy participants. Participants were randomly distributed into three groups, a control group (n=10), sling group (n=10), and ball group (n=10). All participants performed plank exercises three times a week for four weeks. Plank exercises consisted of five sets of 30 seconds each with a one minute break between each set. Muscle thickness of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) was measured using an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and balance was measured using I-balance. Results: Evaluation of muscle thickness revealed that the IO and EO muscle of the ball group changed significantly relative to the control group (p<0.05). However, there were no significant changes in balance. Conclusion: The results revealed that performing plank exercise on a ball is more effective among various types of surfaces.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 1989

An in vitro fertilization assay employing zona-free hamster embryos was used to investigate human spermatozoal fertilitzing ability. Yanaghimarchi et al.(1976) first introduced this cross species fertilzation technique, with its application as a diagnostic tool for male infertility. Human spermatozoa were preincubated for 3 to 4 hrs in B W W medium at concentration of $4{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml prior to the addition to zona-free hamster embryos. After 3 hrs, human sperm was evaluated for fertilizing potential by the presence of swelling or decondencing sperm head in the cytoplasm. The results of penetration rates for sperm were as follow : 1. The average penetration rate of a 7 fertile donor group was $47.8{\pm}27.67%$(Range 14.3-98.0%) 2. The average penetration rate of 12 infertile patients with normal semen analysis was $21.7{\pm}26.9%$(Range 0-38.8%) 3. The average penetration rate of 10 infertile patients with semen abnormalities was $6.1{\pm}8.1%$(Range 0-25%)

• Language and Information
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2010

On the Inherent (non-) Negativity of Negative Sensitive Items. This paper explores the idea that Korean Negative Sensitive Items, which are better viewed as Negative Concord Items (NCIs) (Kim 2001, 2006, Watanabe 2004), should not be construed as inherently negative in spite of the fact that NCIs are able to appear as an elided form without the presence of a negative licenser. Among several diagnostics, which are designed to draw syntactic and semantic distinctions between traditional Negative Polarity Items (NPIs) and NCIs employed in previous studies, the ability of an NCI to appear as a fragment answer raises the question of whether the negativity of NCIs is inherent or not. Contrary to Kim (2001, 2006) and Watanabe (2004), who are in favor of the inherent negativity of NCIs, I claim that non-negative Korean NCIs still need contentful negation to be licensed, and therefore their ability to appear as a fragment answer should be considered as a matter of ellipsis, in support of Giannakidou (2000, 2006). The main argument will be strengthened by the fact that Korean NCIs do not express negative meaning themselves, and that double negation readings are not allowed no matter how many NCIs occur simultaneously.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.101-111
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• 2000

The present study was carried out to investigate the actual condition of the evaluation of science learning in the secondary school, and to develop the basic data for the improvement of the science learning assessment. Various questions for three evaluative domains were asked to 51 science teachers with the questionnaire during the in-service training course for certificate on summer in 1998. The cognition of the table of specification appeared high as 98% responses to the questionnaire, but the teachers' ability to distinguish behavioral elements was low as 47% responses. The evaluative rate of three domains for knowledge, skill and attitude appeared as 45%, 35% and 20% evaluation in both diagnostic and formative evaluation and 40%, 40% and 20% evaluation in summative evaluation. The evaluation of process skill appeared a tendency depending on laboratory reports as 61%, and was higher rather than in the formative evaluation or summative evaluation. In the evaluation of attitude domain, about a half of teachers answered that they evaluated the domain with laboratory reports as 43%, and some teachers evaluated the domain with teacher's observation as 33%. Also there were a few teachers who did not evaluate the attitude domain as 8%. The rate for the elements of the process skill appeared 86% responses in the interpretation of data, 31% in the observative ability, 18% in the predictive ability, 14% in the classified ability, 12% in the measuring and data-investigating ability, 4% in the discussion ability, and 2% in the investigating ability. We could find out that many teachers had given higher rate in the evaluation of process skill and attitude rather than before the present study, therefore there was more improvement in the evaluation for process skill and attitude domain after the 6th curriculum.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 1999

Purpose: The sensitivity of ST-depression in the electrocardiogram during exercise is influenced by the level of efforts. However, unlike the prevalence of ST-depression on exercise ECG, the degree of exercise is reported to do not influence the diagnostic ability of myocardial perfusion scan. Furthermore, the relation between the prevalence of myocardial ischemia and effort is still controversial. We evaluated the effect of the degree of exercise on the ability of SPECT imaging to detect coronary artery stenosis. Materials and Methods: The patient population was comprised of 111 patients (73 men and 38 women, mean age 56 years) who underwent an exercise test in conjunction with Tc-99m MIBI and cardiac catheterization within 3 months apart each other. The degree of exercise was classified into four groups according to the percentage of maximal predicted heart rate. The sensitivity and specificity was compared between each group. Results: The overall diagnostic sensitivity was significantly higher with Tc-99m MIBI SPECT than exercise ECG. The specificity was not significantly different between two tests. Sensitivity and specificity of Tc-99m MIBI was not different between four groups. Sensitivity for individual coronary stenosis seemed to be lower in subjects who had premature termination of exercise due to early appearance of ST depression. Conclusion: These results suggest that the overall diagnostic sensitivity of Tc-99m MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT is not significantly affected by the degree of exercise in stable patients undergoing symptom-limited treadmill exercise testing. Myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging should be added to routine exercise stress testing for the detection of coronary artery disease.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.51-56
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• 2009

Purpose: Peritoneal recurrence has been reported to be the most common form of recurrence of gastric cancer. Peritoneal recurrence can generally be suggested by several types of image studies and also if there is evidence of ascites or Bloomer's rectal shelf. It can be confirmed by explorative laparotomy, but diagnostic laparoscopy is a good alternative method and laparoscopic surgery has also been widely used. We reviewed and analyzed the ability of diagnostic laparoscopy to detect peritoneal recurrence or carcinomatosis, and especially for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review the 45 gastric cancer patients who were operated via diagnostic laparoscopy between 2004. 2. and 2009. 3. We analyzed the perioperative clinical characteristics and the accuracy of the diagnostic methods. Results: The study groups included 14 patients who had confirmed gastric cancer, but they suspected to have carcinomatosis, and 31 patients who had previously underwent gastric resection, but they suspected to have recurrence. The mean operation time was $44.1\pm26.9$ minutes and the mean postoperative hospital stay was $2.7\pm2.8$ days. There was one case of operation-related complication and no postoperative mortality occurred. The sensitivities for detecting peritoneal recurrence or carcinomatosis were 92.1% for diagnostic laparoscopy, 29.7% for detecting ascites and rectal shelf on the physical examination, 86.5% for abdominal computed tomography, 69.2% for PET CT and 18.8% for CEA. Conclusion: Diagnostic laparoscopy does not require a long operation time or a long hospital stay, and it showed a low complication rate in our study. It has high sensitivity for detecting peritoneal recurrence of gastric cancer. It can be an alternative diagnostic confirmative method and it is useful for deciding on further treatment.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2024

Background: This study examines the relationship between functional disability and work ability in workers affected by low back pain (LBP) through an analysis of correlations between the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Work Ability Index (WAI). The role of personal and work factors on functional disability/work ability levels has also been studied. LBP is the most common musculoskeletal problem and a major disabling health problem worldwide. Its etiology is multifactorial. Multidisciplinary approaches may help reduce the burden of pain and disability and improve job continuity and reintegration at work. Methods: A cohort of 264 patients affected by LBP from an Italian outpatient clinic were included in a clinical diagnostic/therapeutic trial aiming at rehabilitation and return to work through an integrated investigation protocol. Data were collected during the first medical examination using anamnestic and clinical tools. The final sample is composed of 252 patients, 57.1% man, 44.0 % blue collars, 46.4% with the high school degree, 45.6% married. Results: WAI and ODI reported a negative and fair correlation (r = -0.454; p = .000). Workers with acute LBP symptoms have a higher probability of severe disability than those with chronic LBP symptoms. White collars without depressive symptoms reported higher work ability - even in chronic disability conditions-than those with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The study found that ODI and WAI have a convergent validity and this suggests that the two tools measure capture distinctive aspects of disability related to personal, environmental, and occupational characteristics. The most important and modifiable prognostic factors found for ODI and WAI were depressive symptoms, workday absence, and intensity of back pain. The study also found a mild association between age and ODI. The study's findings highlight the importance of using a multidisciplinary approach to manage and prevent disability due to LBP.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2009

Objectives : A higher level of aggression has been reported for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than for non-ADHD children. Aggression was shown to have a negative effect on the social functioning of children with ADHD. The ability to recognize facial emotion expression has also been related to aggression. In this study, we examined whether impulsivity and dysfunctional recognition of facial emotion expression could explain the aggressiveness of children with ADHD. Methods : 67 children with ADHD participated in this study. We measured the ability to recognize facial emotion expression by using the Emotion Recognition Test (ERT) and we measured aggression by the T score of the aggression subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Impulsivity was measured by the ADHD diagnostic system (ADS). Results : The teacher rated level of aggression was related to the score of recognizing negative affect. After controlling for the effect of impulsivity, this relationship is not significant. Only the score of the visual commission errors ex plained the level of aggression of children with ADHD. Conclusion : Impulsivity seems to have a major role in explaining the aggression of children with ADHD. The clinical implication of this study is that effective intervention for controlling impulsivity may be expected to reduce the aggression of children with ADHD.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1961-1966
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• 2016

Background: To investigate the prevalence of premature ejaculation (PE) and erectile dysfunction (ED) in a sample of patients with prostate cancer and to determine the utility of the previously suggested cutoffs of the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) for the diagnosis of PE and that of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) for ED. Materials and Methods: A total of 1,202 men with prostate cancer were invited from urology clinics at the universities of Iran, Tehran, Qazvin, Ahvaz, Guilan and Tabriz. Clinical characteristics were collected through medical records. PE and ED diagnoses were made by trained urologists. In addition to the clinical diagnoses, PE and ED were measured through self-report using the PEDT and the IIEF-5. Questionnaire cutoff scores were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and confirmed by predictive ability using logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of PE was 63.7% and that of ED was 66.2%. Prevalences of PE decreased and that of ED increased with advanced TNM stages. According to ROC, the suggested cutoff for the PEDT to diagnose a PE was ${\geq}11$ (sensitivity=0.988, 1-specificity=0.084, and predictive ability=0.914) and ${\leq}17$ for the IIEF-5 (sensitivity=0.966, 1-specificity=0.031, and predictive ability=0.967). Conclusions: Prevalence of sexual problems was high in prostate cancer patients in Iran, therefore oncologists should take into account these potential problems when deciding on treatment modalities.