• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.105-112
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• 2005

Obiective : The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of acupuncture treatment for chronic headache patients using power spectrum analysis of the heart rate variability(HRV). Methods : 15 clinical experiment participants were gathered and through a questionnaire patients who experienced headache for more than 4 hours a day and more than IS days per month were qualified as Chronic Headache patients. Treatment was afplied 2 times a weeks for 8 weeks. The acupoints, GV2O, HN23, ST8, HN46, TEl7, GB2O, LI2O, LI11, LI14, ST36, and LR3 were stimulated for 20 minutes. The effects of acupuncture treatment were analyzed using power spectrum analysis of the HRV. HRV was recorded before and after acupuncture treatment. Results : HRV before and after treatment was compared after 8 weeks of acupuncture treatment. Increase in mean values of SDNN and RMSSD were observed but the increases were not statistically significant. Increase in mean values of TP, LF and HF were observed but, the increase was significant(p<0.05) only in TP. Conclusions : The results suggest that acupuncture treatment on chronic headache patients can increase the activity of autonomic nervous system. Further use of HRV for quantitative analysis of acupuncture treatment on autonomic nervous system related symptoms is suggested.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

Backgrounds : Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) is known as the chronic inflammatory diseasethat induces persistent inflammation in the joint cavity. The destruction of cartilage occurs as the result of bones destoyed by pannus, several influential cytokines induced by the synovial capsulitis, varieties of proteinases, $O_2$ radicals, and the secondary degenerative changes of articular cartilage. The type 2 collagen-induced arthritis model is used in recent experimental research on rheumatoid arthritis. Cervus elaphus sibiricus (Nockyong) has the effect of relieving pain by nourishing the muscles, joints, and bones. It is also known to be efficacious in promoting and enhancing the immune system. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture to inhibit the generation of proinflammatory enzyme on type 2 collagen-induced arthritis. I investigated the inhibition of mRNA transcription of MIF(macrophage migration inhibitory factor), $TNF-{\alpha}$(Tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$) and MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) of Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture using an in vitro test. Also investigated was the inhibition of differentiation of Th 1 cells and activation of cytokines(MIF, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, MMP-9), which are known to cause initial RA ,and are also related to the morphology of the synovial membranes of the joint capsule, by an in vivo test, using CIA(collagen induced arthritis) model mice. Materials & methods : The laboratory animals used in this experiment were 4 week-old DBA female mice, weighing approximately 20 grams, and adjusted to the laboratory environment. The experiment was divided into the normal group(NOR)-no treated group, control group(CON)-CIA induced group, and sample group(SAM)-Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture treated group. RA was induced in the mice via injection of $50{\mu}{\ell}$ C II mixed CFA. The Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture solution was applied on $GB_{35}$(陽陵泉) for 26 days from the 3rd day of RA inducement. The concentration of the solution was determined via a MTT assay. To research the effect on the expression of MIF, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and MMP-9 mRNA, RT-PCR was performed on synovial membrane cells from the knee joint of CIA mice. C II induced RA knee joint's histo-chemical synovial membrane was observed using a specimen model via the Hematoxilin and Eosin dying technique. Results : The expression of mRNA of RA-related cytokines such as MIF, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and MMP-9 dosedependently decreased in the cell from the synovial membranes of the joint, which is treated with Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture solution. In mice treated with Cervus elaphus sibiricusherbal acupuncture, the damage of synovial membranes of the joint was lessened, and differentiation of Th 1 cells was suppressed. The activation of RA-related cytokines such as MIF was suppressed, and the generation of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and MMP-9 showed a statistically significant decreas. Conclusions : It is speculated that Cervus elaphus sibiricus herbal acupuncture has the therapeutic effect of palliating the damage of the tissue impaired by RA by inhibition of the initial RA progression and by regulating excessive differentiation of Th 1 cell as it suppresses the generation of RA-related cytokines during the highest stage of RA by acting on pro-inflammatory enzymes.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.105-113
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• 2006

Objectives : To establish an effective collaborate medicine treatment of acupuncture and western medicine for treating frozen shoulder patients. Methods : 59 voluntary patients were randomly assigned to Eastern treatment group(E group, n=22), Western treatment group(W group, n=17) and East-West treatment group(EW group, n=20). The E group received acupuncture treatment on LI15, TE14, GB21 and Master Dong's acupuncture points, Shin-gwan and Gyun-joong, twice a week for 4 weeks. The W group received suprascapular nerve block, subacromial injection and trigger point injection, twice a week for 4 weeks. The EW group received acupuncture and injection treatment including nerve block All groups were instructed to practice self exercise during their daily lives. Evaluations were made before treatment and after treatment based on the change in shoulder Range of Motion(ROM) and the patient's satisfaction concerning the treatment was measured by Visual Analogue Scale(VAS). The obtained data were analyzed and compared. Results : The patient's satisfaction scores were E group 5.67, W group 7.73 and EW group 7.67. The E group and the EW group showed significant improvement in abbduction, adduction and flexion(p<0.05). The W group showed significant improvement in adduction(p<0.05). Abduction significantly improved(p<0.05) in the EW group compared to E group and W group. Flexion also showed improvement in the EW group, but the difference among the 3 groups was statistically insignificant. The three group's difference of change in extension and adduction was insignificant(p>0.05). Conclusion : Acupuncture and nerve block alone significantly improved ROM in frozen shoulder patients. Also collaborate treatment of acupuncture and nerve block significantly improved ROM in frozen shoulder patients. But the difference of the three treatments were significant only for improving abduction(p<0.05).

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.93-104
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• 2005

Objective : Because the cause and etiology of chronic headache are not yet fully explained, the treatment of this symptom is not simple. In order to study the effectiveness of East-West pain treatment on chronic headache, we evaluated its effect of pain alleviation and quality of life improvement on chronic headache patients who were treated with nerve block and acupuncture, and only acupuncture for eight weeks. Methods : 92 clinical experiment participants were gathered and through a questionnaire patients who experienced headache for more than 4 hours a day and more than 15 days per month were qualified as chronic headache patients. The qualified patients were classified into two groups, nerve block and acupuncture group(EW group, n=49) and acupuncture group(E group, n=43). Treatment was applied 2 times a weeks for 8 weeks. The acupoints, GV20, HN23, ST8, HN46, TE17, GB20, LI20O, LI11, LI14, ST36, and LR3 were stimulated for 20 minutes. The effects of two groups were analyzed using VAS scores and BPI(Brief Pain Inventory).

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.4 s.55
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• pp.765-783
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• 1996

This study surveyed and measured the level and structure of cancer deaths and their trends over time for offering the fundamental data of e cancer prevention and control in Pusan city in the future. Authors conducted the study of descriptive epidemiology using materials derived from the computerized data of total 3,722 certified cancer deaths in Pusan city from January 1 to December 31, 1993 registered on the National Statistical Once, the Republic of Korea. The obtained results were as follows: 1. According to the total registered cases of deaths(16,331 cases) in Pusan city during 1993, cancer(3,722 cases) and cerebrovascular disease(2,118 cases) were the first and second cause of deaths as 23.1% and 16.9%, respectively. These pattern showed the change between cancer (14.7%) and cerebrovascular disease(18.5%) in order of frequency in comparison to 1982. Also, the total number of cancer deaths was increased in comparison to 1982. The rate of death certification by physicians was 87.1% of all registered deaths, which was increased to 6.8% in comparison to 1982(80.3%). 2. Crude death rate and cancer specific death rate was 4.06 per 1,000 populations and 93.8 per 100,000 populations(male:117.8, female:70.0), respectively. The former was similar to that of 1982, but the latter was increased to 1.6 times as that of 1982. 3. Age-adjusted cancer specific death rate by standardization with whole country population was 111.9(male:141.5, female:106.7) per 100,000 populations, higher than not age-adjusted cancer specific death rate(93.8), and the sex difference was statistically significant with male predominance (p<0.05). 4. Cancer specific death rate by age was generally increased with age and most of cancer deaths(male:91.8%, female:88.5%) occurred since 40 years old. 5. The major cancer(cancer specific death rate per 100,000 populations) in male was liver(30.6) followed by stomach(25.6), lung(21.9), and GB and EHBD(5.7), in female stomach(15.7), liver(9.9), lung(7.3), and uterus(6.9). The relative frequency of the leading three cancer among total cancer deaths marked 66.3% in male and 47.l% in female, and decreased in comparison to 1982(male:72.2%, female:54.5%). 6. The total ratio of male to female cancer specific death rate showed 1.68 to 1 with male predominance. And the ratio was above 2.0 in larynx, oral cavity & pharynx, esophagus, liver, lung, bladder cancer and the ratio was $1.0\sim1.9$ in stomach, pancreas, gall bladder and EHBD, brain, rectum and anus cancer, leukemia, but the ratio was reversed in thyroid and colon cancer. In conclusion, cancer was the first cause of deaths. The proportion of lung cancer was increased, that of stomach & uterine cancer was decreased relatively, and liver cancer was constantly higher proportion. In the future, it is necessary to conduct the further investigations on the cancer risk factors considering areal specificity.