• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.318-329
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• 2011

1. Objectives: We surveyed the attitude and awareness of Sasang Constitution investigators on informed consent in clinical study. This study was performed in order to improve the quality of ethical aspects in clinical study by surveying the process of obtaining informed consent. 2. Methods: We sent the questionnaire by email to Sasang Constitution investigators who had the experience in clinical study. The question was about the necessity of informed consent and the process of obtaining it. 3. Results: Twenty-two out of 24 questionnaires were collected. All of investigators recognized that informed consent is needed for clinical study. Sixty-four percent of the respondents 'fully' or 'mostly' explained the informed consent but they added only 41% of participants 'fully' or 'mostly' understood. Fifty-four point five percent of respondents provided participants enough time and opportunity to inquire the study in details to decide whether or not to participate in the study, the rest of respondents obtained informed consent without providing enough time for decision. 4. Conclusions: Sasang Constitution investigators had high awareness of necessity for informed consent in clinical study. But participants' understanding was low despite of the degree of investigators' explanation. A various strategies should be designed for improving consent forms and process. Most of all, investigators should make sure that informed consent intends to protect participants and promote ethical research conduct.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.40-50
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was performed to find out the correlation between the use of herbal extracts and the Sasang constitution of patients in Japan. Methods : We recruited 315 subjects who had been visiting the Center for Kampo Medicine for the treatment, Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. They answered SSCQ-P(Sasang Constitution Questionaire for Patients) questionnaire, a sasang constitution specialist interviewed them and diagnosed the sasang constitution. And the 80 herbal extracts subject's having taken were classified into four type Sasang constitutional herbal formulas according to "Donguisusebowon", the ingredients in a formula that have different role(sovereign, minister, assistant and courie) and effect and indication of formula. Results : 1. Among the total 315 subjects, the number of Taeyangin, Soyangin, Taeeumin, and Soeumin was 3(1.0%), 85(27.0%), 90(28.6%), and 137(43.5%). 2. Among the 80 herbal extracts subject's having taken, the number of each Soyangin, Taeeumin, and Soeumin herbal formulas was 30, 7 and 43. 3. 1 Soyangin and 2 Soeumin herbal formulas were prescribed in 3 Taeyangin subjects group. 29 Soyangin, 4 Taeeumin, 52 Soeumin herbal formulas were prescribed in 85 Soyangin subjects group. 39 Soyangin, 6 Taeeumin, 45 Soeumin herbal formulas were prescribed in 90 Taeeumin subjects group. 51 Soyangin, 6 Taeeumin, 80 Soeumin herbal formulas were prescribed in 137 Soeumin subjects group. Conclusions : The Soeumin rate in Japan was significantly higher than that in Korea. There was no significant correlation between the use of herbal extracts and the Sasang constitution in Japan.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.15-25
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• 2011

Objectives : The aim of this study was to find correlations between characteristics of Four constitution and Hwa-byung. Methods : Clinical data were collected from Hwa-byung Epidemiologic study data. we selected 130 self-labelled Hwa-byung patients data and 83 of them were diagnosed as Hwa-byung by SCID. We used Hwa-byung SCID, Hwa-byung scale, CES-D, STAI, STAXI and Personality and Physiological Symptom Questionnaire(PPSQ) as evaluation tools. We performed statistical analysis of each 2 groups, self-labelled Hwa-byung group(N=130) and diagnosed Hwa-byung group(N=83). Results : 1. In self-labelled Hwa-byung group, Greater yin score showed significant negative correlation with 3 indices of Hwa-byung scale and significant positive correlation with 1 index. Lesser yin score showed significant positive correlation with 6 indices. In diagnosed Hwa-byung group, Greater yin score showed significant negaitive correlation with 5 indices. In both groups, Lesser yang score showed no significant correlation with any indices of Hwa-byung scale. 2. In self-labelled Hwa-byung group, Greater yin score showed significant negative correlation with both trait anger score and state anger score of STAXI. Lesser yin score showed significant positive correlation with trait anxiety score, state anxiety score and CES-D score self-labelled Hwa-byung group. Lesser yang score showed significant positive correlation with anger-out score of STAXI. But Lesser yin score showed significant negative correlation with same index diagnosed Hwa-byung group. Conclusions : 1. The higher Greater yin score, suppression or denial, psychological defense mechanism, become more stronger. 2. The higher Lesser yin score, anger-out tendency become more weakened and increased prevalence of Hwa-byung symptoms. 3. The higher Lesser yang score, anger-out tendency become more stronger.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.873-880
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• 2002

We study on the significance and application of the whole body form diagnosis. The results were as follows; The general form diagnosis is the method to observe the individual physiology and pathology. The phase of thinking, the current and activity of KI, the pattern of general form diagnosis have organic relations with the symptoms. The general form diagnosis is made up the principle of the imaging phase, therefore it must make synthetic union the differentiation of syndromes. The general form diagnosis of NAE GYEONG shows the typical phases and it is divided with the sight of YIN YANG and Five-Element. The general form diagnosis of SEOP GAE is practiced the theory of constitution's demonstration before the understanding of symptoms. Then JANG NAM tried the type of constitution's demonstration. The general form diagnosis of DONG MU becomes the diagnostic root of constitution's demonstration in four type constitution theory.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1354-1358
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• 2008

In Traditional Korean Medicine it is one of basic principle that personality reflects physical conditions. In both of personality and ordinary symptoms, there are some criteria used for diagnosis whether the patient is in cold or hot condition. We studied the relationship between the criteria of cold-hot shown in personality pattern and ordinary symptom pattern. And also analyzed the relativeness in four constitution type. 877 patients who had visited oriental medical hospital and had been confirmed their constitution by drug response were included in this study. Patients filled out the questionnaire composed of personality and ordinary symptom questions. We selected questions related to cold-hot patterns. Next we made personality cold-hot index(PCHI) and ordinary symptom cold-hot index(OSCHI). The two indices were compared and analyzed totally and from the viewpoint of 4 constitution types. The coefficient of correlation between two indices was not high. In Soemin the coefficient was 0.257, in three other constitution it was lower than 0.200 or negative. In Soemin both indices were lower (cold-biased), but in three other constitution no significant results were found. In Tae-emin OSCHI was higher (hot-biased) than PCHI, in Tae-yangin PCHI was higher than OSCHI significantly. Personality is not affected by cold-hot less than expected. The criteria used for diagnosis of cold-hot seems to be biased on Soemin's.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2010

Objectives : Recently, in Sasang Constitution Medicine (SCM), many researchers have studied to construct objective diagnose tool for the SCM type. It is most important to collect correct constitutional clinical data in these studies. Methods : In our work, we construct a web-based system for collecting constitutional clinical data effectively. Results & Conclusion : The system offers 4 types of input programs, which helps to collect clinical information from various hospitals, and performs verification service to minimize input errors. Currently, we have collected about four thousands data using the our system and we will provide several analysis tool in the system for researchers.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.308-318
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• 2009

This study makes clear Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御)'s medical thoughts Yi-philosophically. Yi-philosophy(易學) since ancient times is occupied by fundamental problems of various fields of Oriental Science. Confusian Medicine Reseachers of Zhang Jie-Bin(張介賓), Zhang Nan(章楠), Zhu Zhen-Heng(朱震亨) was seriously affected by Yi-philosophy(易學) and Confucianism(儒學). But I don't think that the majority of their medicine theories are occupied by Yi-philosophy(易學) and Confucianism(儒學). But Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) studied medicine thoughts on the basis of Tu Shu Yi(圖書易) in almost whole medicine theories and clinical contents. Therefore this study researched medical thinkings of Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) on Yi-philosophical medical viewpoint Tu Shu Yi(圖書易)-scientifically. Especially in this paper the author examined a characteristic point in medical thoughts of Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御), the difference of existing medicine on Nei-Jing(內經) and Yi-medicine of Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御), a commonness of medicine principles of Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) and Li Ji-Ma(李濟馬)), medicine theories of Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) on Tu Shu Yi(圖書易) and a background of Yi-philosophical medical standpoint. The results was summarized as follows; First, Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御)'s standpoint on five phase is that the relation of earth and wood fire metal water is form and use(體用). Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) insists that the earth represents existence itself and wood fire metal water is concepts that represents actual states. Second, the concept of Four-Constitution of Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) and Li Ji-Ma(李濟馬) is same. Third, Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) doesn't have a standpoint of five-phase on Nei-Ching Medicine, but a standpoint of five-phase on Yi-philosophy. Fourth, water, fire, metal, wood is Four-Constitution that middle qi transformed. Fifth, the middle qi is yang-earth and yin-earth of the spleen and stomach, the physiological function of four viscera is maintained by the movement of ascending and descending of yin and yang earth. Sixth, The middle qi is main role of Four-Constitution. Exchanging of water and fire and the movement of ascending and descending of metal and wood depends on the earth. Seventh, generally medicine researchers speak that human mind is a main role of psycho-function of heart, but Huang Yuan-Yu has the standpoint of spleen-stomach oriented seven emotions not human-mind oriented viewpoint. It represents that a existing thinking of heart-earth center is changed to medical viewpoint of spleen-earth center. Eighth, There is enough ground for controversy on where is the middle point of human in five viscera. Is that spleen or heart? Huang Yuan-Yu(黃元御) insists that the spleen and stomach is middle point, but the standpoint in Four-Constitution medicine of Li Ji-Ma(李濟馬) is that middle point is heart.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.169-183
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• 1999

This study was carried out for the objectification and clinical application of the Sasang Constitutional Medicine(四象醫學). So, the Taeum Soyang, Soum groups were classified by diagnostic rules of Sasang constitution, and investigated by Amp-FLP method far genetic difference. The Amp-FLP was one of the most frequently used human genetic analysis methods which adopts STR typing. In this study, 100 genomic DNA samples of Taeum, Soyang, Soum constitution group were analysed by Amp-FLP method. Allele frequencies of four tetrameric short tandem repeat(STR) loci(TPOX, LPL, D21744, and D13S317) were determined in Taeum, Soyang, Soum groups. The heterozygosities and the polymorphism information content(PIC) values of forur STR loci were 0.812 and 0.789 in D3S1744, 0.811 in D13S317, 0.466 and 0.417 in LPL, and 0.625 and 0.561 in TPOX, respectively. The allele distribution of four STR loci was statistically evaluated. It was found out that the allele distribution of four STR loci was not significantly different among different constitutions. But all loci were found to be highly polymorphic in Taeum, Soyang, Soum groups. It was found out in this study that Taeum, Soum groups are genetically more related each other than they are related to Soyang groups.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.161-170
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• 2008

Objectives: This study aimed at comparing Sasang constitutional medicine(SCM) with other constitutional theories of the world. Methods: From PubMed database, we first searched all papers using the term 'constitution', then filtered those having really constitution-focused papers. Then, they were analyzed to compare each constitutional theory and medicinal practice. Results: There were five constitution-related medicines which have been practiced in medical field: Sasang, iridology, somatotype, dermatoglyphics and Ayurveda. There was the largest number of scientific researches for dermatoglyphics while the smallest number of papers was for SCM. The other three constitutional theories were based on anatomic/histologic difference between types in contrast to SCM and Ayurveda, which relied on inherited functional differences of four or three internal organs. Conclusions: This study simultaneously compared five major constitutional theories currently practiced as medicines in the world. We found that even as SCM seems to have the most potential as therapeutic medicine it should be studied more using scientific methodologies to be a world-wide medicine.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.82-93
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• 2008

1. Objective The purpose of this study was to develop and upgrade the On-line SSCQ (Sasang Constitution Questionnaire) by making an analysis of diagnostic accuracy rate of Sasang Constitution Questionnaire for doctors. 2. Methods We have collected SSCQ-D(Sasang Constitution Questionnaire for Doctors) from the dept. of Sasang constitutional medicine in the four other university. We classified data according to Sasang constitution, sex, age and BMI and made an analysis using the chiefly discriminant analysis model, additionally frequency analysis, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. 3. Results and Conclusion 1) Diagnostic accuracy rate of the SSCQ-D was between 71.33 and 95.14%. (1) About the whole subject the accuracy rate was 71.33%. (2) About the whole female the accuracy rate was 73.26%. (3) About the whole male the accuracy rate was 81.41%. 2) The more classification variables we used in this analysis study, the higher the diagnostic accuracy rate increased.