• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.109-118
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• 2012

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic chronic fatigue. Methods : A randomized, controlled pilot trial was conducted. Twenty-four participants were randomized into one of the two groups: an acupuncture group(n=12) and wait-list group(n=12). The treatment group received 12 sessions of acupuncture over 4 weeks. Eight points($GV_{20}$; bilateral GB20, $BL_{11}$, $BL_{13}$, $BL_{15}$, $BL_{18}$, $BL_{20}$, and $BL_{23}$) were selected for needling. The control group did not receive acupuncture treatment during study period and follow-up were done in the $5^{th}$ and $9^{th}$ weeks after randomization in both groups. The primary outcome was fatigue severity scale(FSS) and the secondary outcomes included a short form of stress response inventory(SRI-short form), beck depression inventory(BDI), and insomnia severity index(ISI). Safety was assessed at every visit. Results : There were statistically significant differences in the between group values of FSS at $5^{th}$ weeks after randomization(p=0.0002), SRI-short form, BDI, and ISI at $5^{th}$, $9^{th}$ weeks after randomization(p<0.01). There were no adverse events. Conclusions : The results suggest that acupuncture is associated with benefits on the short-term outcomes in chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic chronic fatigue.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-27
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• 2023

Fatigue crack is a fatal problem for steel structures. Early detection and maintenance can help extend the service life and prevent hazards. This paper presents the ultrasonic guided waves-based (UGWs-based) fatigue crack detection of a steel I-beam. The semi-analytical finite element model has been built to obtain the wave propagation characteristics. Damage indices in both time and frequency domains were analyzed by considering the characteristic variations of UGWs including the amplitude, phase angle, and wave packet energy. The pulse-echo and pitch-catch methods were combined in the detection scheme. Lab-scale experiments were conducted on welded steel I-beams to verify the proposed method. Results show that the damage indices based on the characteristic variations in the time domain can identify and localize the fatigue crack before it enters the rapid growth stage. The damage severity can be reasonably evaluated by analyzing the time-domain damage indices. Two nonlinear damage indices in the frequency domain give earlier warnings of the fatigue crack than the time-domain damage indices do. The identification results based on the above two nonlinear indices are found to be less consistent under various excitation frequencies. More robust nonlinear techniques needed to be searched and tested for early crack detection in steel I-beams in further study.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 1998

The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of farming in greenhouses with respect to subjective fatigue symptoms among farmers and the degree of symptoms. The study compared 176 green-house farmers with 216 open field farmers using a subjective fatigue symptoms rating scale developed by the Industrial Research Institute of Fatigue, Japanese Association for industrial Hygiene. 1. With respect to complaint rates of the subjective fatigue symptoms, the results indicated that greenhouse farmers have, in order of severity, high degrees of low back pain, difficulty in collecting thoughts, and apt to forget. 2. With respect to cumulative scores of fatigue symptoms, the results indicated that both groups of farmers exhibited a lack of attentiveness and a high degree of dullness and sleepiness(category I), body projection of fatigue(category II), and difficulty in concentration(category III). 3. With respect to general characteristics, it was found that the degrees of subjective fatigue symptoms were found to be higher among females, people with lower educational levels, and the elderly, regardless of the group. 4. With respect to work related factors, farmers with more years of experiences were found to have higher degrees of subjective fatigue symptoms, except for open field farmers with less than nine years experience. Both groups of farmers were found to have high degrees of subjective fatigue symptoms when working less than eight hours a day and less than six months a year. 5. With respect to health habits, for people who get less than eight hours of sleep per day exhibited higher fatigue scores than people who get more than eight hours. People who do not smoke and drink also exhibited higher fatigue scores than people who smoke and drink. 6. The results of multiple regression showed that the risk factors related to the subjective fatigue symptoms of farmers in the greenhouse group were ages, levels of education, sex and for the comparison group, were sex. years of farming, and hours of sleep. The R-square were 12.5% in the greenhouse group and 12.1% in the comparison son group. The differences between the greenhouse and open field farmers in the degrees of fatigue symptoms were found not to be statistically significant even if the working conditions of the greenhouse farmers were poor. This may be attributed to non-work related factors, i.e., social, economical, and psychological factors among greenhouse farmers.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.155-165
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was to examine the effect of Intradermal Acupuncture therapy at Kyeonjeong, Cheonryo and Kokji on the shoulder pain. The research was conducted with non equivalent control group non-synchronized design. Methods :　IThe subjects were the women who was suffering for shoulder pain, who are employed at two hospitals in Busan, from April to June, 2006. The 24 women were experimental group who were applied to Intradermal Acupuncture Therapy at Kyeonjeong, Cheonryo and Kokji, while the 20 women were control group who weren't applied to any treatments. The severity of shoulder pain and the extent of the subjective symptoms of shoulder pain were pre-measured. The Intradermal Acupuncture therapy was done a total of 4 times, 2 times a week over 2 weeks and from 11 a.ｍ. to 2 p.m. as an experimental treatment. As a post survey, the severity of shoulder pain, the frequency of shoulder pain and the extent of the subjective symptoms of shoulder pain were measured after one week and two weeks of experimental treatment. Research tools are Visual Analogue Scale by Cline et al. for measuring the severity of shoulder pain and the tool developed by Japan's industrial fatigue research committee of the industrial hygienics society and modified. Results : There was a significant difference(F=4.132, p=0.019) for the severity of shoulder pain on the interaction between time and group. There was a significant difference(F=11.193, p=0.000) for the extent of the subjective symptoms of shoulder pain on the interaction between time and. group. Conclusion : Based on the above results, it can be determined that Intradermal Acupuncture Therapy at Kyeonjeong, Cheonryo and Kokji can be used as the effective treatments for reducing of shoulder pam.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.162-175
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• 1999

The study was intended to investigate and explore the preimenstrual symptoms, their severity levels, their patterns and the relationships of the age to those symptoms and patterns among Korean women. The data were collected from 844 women in one highschool, one Nursing college and one Korea National Open University in Seoul, from Nov, 1997 to Jun. 1998. The instruments were the Menstrual Symptoms Questionnaire developed by Chesney and the Center for Epidemiologic studies Depression scale developed by Radloff. the data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Duncan's multiple comparison test, $X^2$-test, simple regression analysis and logistic regression analysis using pc-SAS program. The results were as follows ; 1. Korean women had more symptoms of abdominal bloating, fatigue, abdominal discomfort and backache in perimenstrual period. There Teenages had more symptoms of depression and uterine cramps in the day before or the first day of menstruation. Women in their twenties had more symptoms of abdominal pain or abdominal discomfort, backache, abdominal bloating and the sensitiveness /discomforts in the lower back, abdomen and inner part of thighs. women in their thirties had more symptoms of abdominal bloating, fatigue, tension and nervousness before the menstruation, abdominal discomfort and backpain in the first day of menstruation. Women in their forties had more symptoms of backache, breast discomforts, abdominal pain and discomforts. 2. The severity levels of the perimenstrual symptoms showed the highest score(mean=2.73) in twenties and the lowest score)mean=1.96) in forties The perimenstrual symptom patterns were prevailed the spasmodic menstrual symptoms in teenage and twenties and the congestive menstrual symptoms in thirties and forties. The age was a determinant of perimenstrual symptom patterns and the precipitative equation was log[p(age)/(1-p(age)]=2.7356-0.0982 age. 3. The relationship of the age to perimenstrual symptoms was vanished or lessened, controlling for parity as a test factor. this finding supports the notion that parity is an extraneous variable.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2012

This study examines the effects of a rehabilitation program on quality of life (QOL), cardiopulmonary function and fatigue during radiotherapy for breast cancer patients. The program includes aerobic exercise, stretching and strengthening exercises. Sixty-five women participated in this study and they were asked to perform supervised exercises that last for 60 minutes five times a week for six weeks. The European organization for research and treatment of cancer-cancer (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the breast (EORTC QLQ-BR23), predicted maximal volume of oxygen consumption ($VO_{2max}$) and fatigue severity scale (FSS) were assessed before and after the rehabilitation program. The 60-minute program consisted of a 10-minute warm-up, 30-minute of aerobic exercises, and 15-minute of strengthening exercises, followed by a five-minute cool-down. Heart rates were monitored throughout the exercise class to ensure that patients were exercising at the target heart rate of 40~75% of the age-adjusted heart rate maximum. There were statistically significant differences in the changes of physical function and cancer related symptoms in the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 (p<.05). There was a statistically significant improvement in the predicted $VO_{2max}$ (p<.05), although there were no significant differences in the FSS (p>.05). The results of our study suggest that a supervised rehabilitation program may benefit the physical aspects and QOL of patients receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2019

■ Objectives In this case report, we address a case of a 83-year-old female patient diagnosed with suspicious autoimmune hepatitis. ■ Methods A patient was treated with herbal medication, Injinoryung-san gagam. We evaluated the improvements of symptoms by AST, ALT, GGT, ALP and total score of Fatigue Severity Scale(FSS). ■ Results After 4 weeks of taking Injinoryung-san gagam, there were decrease in abnormal liver enzyme levels with improvement of the patient's fatigue. ■ Conclusion This study suggested that Injinoryung-san gagam might be effective in autoimmune hepatitis patient's liver enzyme levels and fatigue recovery.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 2014

Objectives : We aimed to explore the relationship among fatigue and perceived stress, depressive mood in the working population. We also examined associations with demographic and life style factors and investigated the effect of individual coping skills on these associations. Methods : Fatigue Severity Scale(FSS), Perceived Stress Scale(PSS), Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument - Korean version(BEPSI-K), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Stress Coping Skill Questionnaire were administered to 621 civil servants. All of above and other demographic factors are self-administered questionnaire survey and this study is cross sectional. Results : Mean FSS score was 3.04 which was lower than 3.22, the severity cut off score. FSS, PSS, BEPSI-K, BDI were all higher in female. Subjects with active coping skills showed relatively low fatigue, perceived stress, depressive mood than those with passive coping skills. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the PSS, BDI, BEPSI-K in working population increase the risk of fatigue and regular exercise lowers the risk. Conclusions : Adults who were afflicted by stress, experienced depressive mood or were physically inactive were at much higher risk of feeling fatigue. Since no other large data sets are available for fatigue, the results from this study could serve a very useful purpose, to furnish a basis for comparison with future research results based on more complete data.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2 s.62
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• pp.25-31
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• 2005

Objectives: This study was designed to assess traditional Korean medical therapy for urticaria and establish a clinical assessment guideline. Methods: Duration of symptoms, personal and family history of allergic diseases, serum IgE level, suspected causes and Provocation factors were investigated in 56 patients. Frequency of wheals, duration of wheals, number of wheals, itch severity and antihistamine counts on a 6-point (0-5) scale were assessed in 34 patients. The change of total scores and each criterion between baseline and follow up were analyzed using paired t-test (p<0.05). Results: 1. Acute urticaria within 6 weeks was $26.8\%$ and chronic urticaria over 6 weeks was $73.2\%$. The mean duration of symptoms was $19.2\pm38.8$ months. 2. $57.1\%$ of patients had a personal history of allergic diseases and $50\%$had a family history. $29.1\%$ had over 200 IU/mL serum IgE level. 3. The suspected causes were none $(39.3\%)$, foods $(32.1\%)$, drugs $(12.5\%)$, contact $(5.4\%)$ and maternity$(5.4\%)$. 4. The suspected provocation factors were foods $(41.1\%)$, none $(26.8\%)$, fatigue $(12.5\%)$, heat and sweating $(12.5\%)$, pressure $(10,7\%)$ and stress $(7.1\%)$. 5. The total scores between baseline and follow up of 34 patients were lowered from $15.38^{\circ}\;{\ae}3.75\;to\;8.82^{\circ}\;{\ae}5.21$, which was significant statistically (p=0.000). 6. Itch severity, frequency of wheals and number of wheals were the most significantly lowered of all criteria. Conclusions: Traditional Korean medical therapy was proven to be effective for urticaria, while itch severity, frequency of wheals and number of wheals should be assessed clinically with greater priority.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.121-130
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to report the clinical effects of the Graston Technique and Chuna manual therapy, combined with Korean Medical Treatment for fibromyalgia. Methods : We treated a patient diagnosed with fibromyalgia. We used acupuncture, the Graston Technique, Chuna manual therapy, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion and physical therapy. Outcomes were evaluated using the American College of Rheumatology Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria (ACR), the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Results : The widespread pain index (WPI) scale score of the ACR decreased from 12 to 9, and the symptom severity scale (SS) score of the ACR decreased from 8 to 6. The FIQ score decreased from 63.69 to 50.15. On the NRS, lower back pain & lower limb pain decreased from 6 to 2; neck pain from 6 to 3; muscle tenderness & morning stiffness from 6 to 4; fatigue from 6 to 3; urticaria from 6 to 2. Conclusion : This case study suggests that the Graston Technique and Chuna manual therapy combined with Korean Medical Treatment may be effective treatments for fibromyalgia. However, further studies are needed.