• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.246-258
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• 2024

This case report describes a patient diagnosed with central post-stroke pain (CPSP) and hemiparesis due to anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery infarction. The patient was treated with Korean medicines, including moxibustion, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, herbal medicine, Western medicine, and rehabilitation therapy for 67 days. CPSP improved based on scores on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) (from 8 to 0), paresthesia NRS (7 to 0), Manual Muscle Test (4/1 to 4+/4-),4+/4-), Korean version of the modified Barthel Index (24 to 73), National Institute of Health's Stroke Scale (7 to 0), Global Deterioration Scale (1 to 1), and Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (27 to 29). No seizures, shocks, recurrent ischemic stroke, and liver dysfunction were recorded during the treatment. A moxibustion-induced burn healed within 7 days. This case suggests that moxibustion, combined with other treatments, has the potential to improve CPSP, without severe side effects.

• Journal of KIISE:Computing Practices and Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.134-145
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• 2004

With rapid growth in the amount of data transferred on the Internet, traditional storage systems have reached the limits of their capacity and performance. SAN (Storage Area Network), which connects hosts to disk with the Fibre Channel switches, provides one of the powerful solutions to scale the data storage and servers. In this environment, the maintenance of data consistency among hosts is an important issue because multiple hosts share the files on disks attached to the SAN. To preserve data consistency, each host can execute the disk I/O whenever disk read and write operations are requested. However, frequent disk I/O requests cause the deterioration of the overall performance of a SAN cluster. In this paper, we introduce a SANtopia global buffer manager to improve the performance of a SAN cluster reducing the number of disk I/Os. We describe the design and algorithms of the SANtopia global buffer manager, which provides a buffer cache sharing mechanism among the hosts in the SAN cluster. Micro-benchmark results to measure the performance of block I/O operations show that the global buffer manager achieves speed-up by the factor of 1.8-12.8 compared with the existing method using disk I/O operations. Also, File system micro-benchmark results show that SANtopia file system with the global buffer manager improves performance by the factor of 1.06 in case of directories and 1.14 in case of files compared with the file system without a global buffer manager.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-64
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• 2018

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the productivity change of the Korean shipbuilding industry between 2001-2008 and 2008-2015 by using MPI(Malmquist Productivity Index) to decompose the sources of total factor productivity growth into technical efficiency change, scale efficiency change, pure efficiency change, technical change. The empirical results are as follows. In the first half of the year (2001-2008), productivity increased by 2.8%, which was due to technological advances rather than technical efficiency. In the second half (2008-2015), productivity change declined by -3.4%. This is attributable to the technical efficiency deterioration and technological degeneration caused by a decrease in shipbuilding orders due to the global economic downturn after the global financial crisis and the rise of Chinese shipbuilding industry. In the first half of the period, productivity change was higher than in the second half. Especially, the difference between the two periods is attributed to the technical change and it was proved by statistical verification. The policy implications of this paper suggest that the government and each DMU need to develop new technologies to cope with changes in the global shipbuilding industry environment and strategies to eliminate inefficiencies in order to increase productivity in the future.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2012

Objective : Even in the patients with neurologically good outcome after intracranial aneurysm surgery, their perception of health is an important outcome issue. This study aimed to investigate the quality of life (QOL) and its predictors of patients who had a good outcome following anterior circulation aneurysm surgery as using the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument-Korean version. Methods : We treated 280 patients with 290 intracranial aneurysms for 2 years. This questionnaire was taken and validated by 99 patients whose Glasgow Outcome Scale score was 4 and more and Global deterioration scale 3 and less at 6 months after the operation, and 85 normal persons. Each domain and facet was compared between the two groups, and a subgroup analysis was performed on the QOL values and hospital expenses of the aneurysm patients according to the type of craniotomy, approach, bleeding of the aneurysm and brain injury. Results : Aneurysm patients showed a lower quality of life compared with control patients in level of independence, psychological, environmental, and spiritual domains. In the environmental domain, there were significant intergroup differences according to the type of craniotomy and the surgical approach used on the patients (p<0.05). The hospital charges were also significantly different according to the type of craniotomy (p<0.05). Conclusion : Despite good neurological status, patients surgically treated for anterior circulation aneurysm have a low quality of life. The craniotomy size may affect the QOL of patients who underwent an anterior circulation aneurysm surgery and exhibited a good outcome.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1050-1061
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• 2023

This study reported the case of a patient with quadriparesis due to cerebral aneurysm rupture, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) treated with Korean medicine. The patient was treated with acupuncture, herbal medicine (mainly Tonggyuhwalhyeol-tang-gagam), Western medicine, moxibustion, cupping, and rehabilitative therapy for 75 days, and improved after administration. After treatment, the Manual Muscle Test grade improved from 4/4-/3+/3 to 4+/4+/4+/4+, the Korean version of the modified Barthel Index score improved from 9 to 100, the National Institute of Health's Stroke Scale score improved from 2 to 0, the Global Deterioration Scale score improved from 3 to 2, and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination score improved from 22 to 30. During administration, the patient did not show seizures, shock, or loss of consciousness, and the vital signs were stable in the normal range. We followed up the brain computed tomography findings for 2 times and found that there was no definite evidence of intracranial hemorrhage or IVH or re-rupture or rebleeding after Korean medicine treatment. This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment with blood-invigorating and stasis-removing herbs could be a safe and effective intervention option for improving quadriparesis due to cerebral aneurysm rupture and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2019

Objectives : The aim of this study was to compare severity, neurocognitive functions, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) according to the degree of temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) in Korean patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. Methods : Participants were 114 elderly subjects diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment in this cross-sectional study. MTA in brain MRI was rated with standardized visual rating scales (Scheltens scale) and the subjects were divided into two groups according to Scheltens scale. Severity was evaluated with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). Neurocognitive functions was evaluated with the Korean version of Short Blessed Test (SBT-K) and the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease assessment packet (CERAD-K). BPSD was evaluated with the Korean version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (K-NPI). Independent t-test was performed to compare severity, neurocognitive functions, and BPSD between two groups. Results : The group with high severity of MTA showed significantly lower scores in CDR, SBT-K, MMSE-KC, modified Boston naming test, word list recognition, and word list memory (p<0.05). There were no differences in K-NPI scores between two groups. Conclusions : Severity and neurocognitive functions of dementia had significant positive association with MTA, but BPSD had no association with MTA. Evaluating MTA seems to have potential benefit in diagnosing and treating neurocognitive impairments in the elderly. Further evaluation is needed to confirm the association between certain brain structures and BPSD.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2019

Objectives : The association between thyroid-related hormones and cognitive function has been controversial. The purpose of this study is to compare the levels of thyroid-related hormones in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between thyroid-related hormones and cognitive function. Methods : From January 2011 to December 2018, we retrospectively reviewed 105 patients who were diagnosed with AD and MCI by visiting a dementia clinic at Ilsan Paik Hospital. Thyroid-related hormones [triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)] was measured using chemiluminescent immunoassay. An independent sample t-test was performed to analyze the mean value of thyroid-related hormones in patients of AD and MCI. To investigate whether thyroid-related hormones correlate significantly with Global deterioration scale (GDS), Clinical dementia rating (CDR) and scores of each The Korean version of the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's disease items, we conducted a partial correlation analysis with geriatric depression scale-Korean version (GDS-K) scores as covariates. Results : There was no significant difference in the mean serum T3, T4 and TSH levels between patients of the AD and the MCI, but the Construction Praxis Test (CPT) showed a significant positive correlation with the serum TSH concentration (p-value=0.004). Conclusions : In our study, the positive correlation between serum TSH level and the CPT associated with executive function was found to be helpful in understanding the association between thyroid-related hormones and the pathophysiology of dementia. Prospective studies in regard of the pathophysiology of thyroid-related hormones on cognitive function will be necessary in the future.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.184-190
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• 2016

Objectives : This study analyzed the differences of body mass index(BMI) in Korean patients with Alzheimer's diseases(AD), Mild Cognitive Impairment(MCI), and healthy controls to verify whether low BMI is associated with cognitive impairment. Furthermore, this study also sought to examine any association between BMI and Mini Mental State Examination-Korean version(MMSE-K), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR), and Global Deterioration Scale(GDS). Methods : A total of 257 subjects were included in the study. History taking, mental status examination, physical examination and neurocognitive function test were carried out for the diagnosis of AD and MCI. The subjects' demographic data and presence of diseases were also surveyed. The overall cognitive function and severity of diseases were assessed using MMSE-K, GDS, and CDR. Results : The order of BMI was found to be healthy controls>MCI>AD, with statistically significant differences among the groups. The order of MMSE-K scores was similar, with healthy controls>MCI>AD in statistically significant differences. The healthy controls had the lowest CDR and GDS scores, and AD patients had the highest scores. There was a significant positive correlation between BMI and MMSE scores(r=0.238, p=0.000). BMI was negatively correlated with CDR(r=-0.174, p=0.008) as well as with GDS(r=-0.233, p= 0.000). Conclusions : Measuring BMI of patients with AD or MCI is expected to be meaningful in that BMI could be a clinical indicator of AD. We expect this to be beneficial for the diagnosis, prevention, and therapeutic approach of AD and also expect large-scale, long-term longitudinal studies to follow.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2021

Objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is condition of cognitive decline shown in transition from normal aging to dementia. Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture (HPP) is a treatment that combines effects of medication and acupuncture by injecting Hominis placenta into acupoints. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HPP for MCI. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-center clinical trial. Eligible patients were randomly allocated to either the HPP group or the placebo group. HPP or saline as placebo was administered to participants for eight weeks. Changes in symptoms were observed. The primary outcome was difference in mean change of Korean Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) score between the HPP group and the placebo group. Cognitive function, overall status of mood and sleep, and quality of life (QoL) were also assessed. Safety assessment and economic analysis were then conducted. Results: Thirty participants were enrolled. One participant in the placebo group dropped out. The score of MoCA-K increased after treatment. Its mean change was smaller in the HPP group than in the control group. HPP ameliorated Global Deterioration Scale and Korean Dementia Rating Scale subtests for attention, organization, and memory compared to the placebo. However, none of them was significantly different between the two groups. Mood, sleep, and QoL all improved more in the HPP group than in the placebo group, although differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. There was no adverse event probably related to the drug. HPP treatment needed KRW 345,000 more than the placebo group in improving Geriatric Quality of Life scale-Dementia score by one point for one year. Conclusions: Although HPP treatment did not significantly improve cognition, it changed behavioral and psychological symptoms in MCI.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.99-116
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Needle-Embedding Therapy on dementia patients. Methods : We recruited 3 dementia patients who have been experiencing memory disorder and orientation disorder. The patients had been evaluated with Mini-Mental State Examination-K (MMSE-K), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). The patients were treated with herbal medication (Sunghyangjunggi-san) and acupuncture. After 15 days, the patients were added to Needle-Embedding Therapy. We measured MMSE-K, GDS and CDR for every 15 days. The effects of additional Needle-Embedding Therapy were compared with the effects of acupuncture and herbal medicine. Results : After Needle-Embedding Therapy was added, Patients' memory and orientation have been improved and the score of MMSE-K ascended. The grade of GDS and CDR were maintained or decreased. Conclusions : This study suggests that Needle-Embedding Therapy is significantly effective on Dementia patients.