• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2023

Patients with neurocognitive disorder show behavioral psychological symptoms such as agitation, aggression, depression, and wandering, as well as cognitive decline, which puts a considerable burden on patients and their families. For the treatment of behavioral psychological symptoms, patient-centered, non-pharmacological treatment should be used as a first line approach. This paper describes non-pharmacological interventions to manage and treat behavioral psychological symptoms in patients with neurocognitive disorder. In order to control behavioral psychological symptoms such as agitation, depression, apathy, insomnia, and wandering, it is important to identify and evaluate factors such as environmental changes and drugs, and then solve such problems. Non-pharmacological interventions include reassurance, encourage, distraction, and environmental change. It is necessary to understand behavior from a patient's point of view and to approach the patient's needs and abilities appropriately. Reminiscence therapy, music therapy, aroma therapy, multisensory stimulation therapy, exercise therapy, light therapy, massage therapy, cognitive intervention therapy, and pet therapy are used as non-pharmacological interventions, and these approaches are known to improve symptoms such as depression, apathy, agitation, aggression, anxiety, wandering, and insomnia. However, the quality of the evidence base for non-pharmacological approaches is generally lower than for pharmacological treatments. Therefore, more extensive and accurate effectiveness verification studies are needed in the future.

• Korean Journal of Health Psychology
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.537-555
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, comparisons on the psychological and physical attributes of normal weight, overweight, and obese children were conducted. Second, the influence of BMI and physical fitness interaction on psychological adaptation in children with obesity was explored. Participants were 245 children between the ages of 9 and 13 years (64.5% males). Data on children considered overweight (n = 45) or obese (n = 78) were gathered from the Korean Obese Children's Physical Activity (KOCPA) projects. Normal weight children (n = 122) were recruited from two Seoul elementary schools. Psychological measurements included Weight Efficacy Life-style Questionnaire (WEL), Physical Self-efficacy Scale (PSES), Child Dietary Self-efficacy Scale (CDSS), Self-concept Inventory (SCI), and the Korean version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Intervention TM Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQLTM4.0). BMI (kg/m2) and physical fitness (e.g., aerobic endurance, flexibility) were recorded by experts in exercise physiology. Results showed that children in the high BMI group reported poorer psychological adaption and demonstrated lower physical fitness when compared to the remaining groups. Compared to normal weight children, children considered overweight and obese were found to have lower physical self-efficacy, more negative self-concept, and poorer quality of life. Further, these children also had significantly lower physical fitness levels than their normal weight counterparts. Physical fitness was found to have a significant main effect on weight efficacy (WEL), physical self-efficacy (PSES), and quality of life (PedsQL) in children considered overweight or obese. A significant BMI-physical fitness interaction effect was found for self-concept (SCI) only. Children with higher BMI reported poorer self-concept regardless of fitness level whereas children with lower BMI and higher fitness reported more positive self-concept. Implications and limitations are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.339-357
• /
• 2009

As quickly becoming an ageing society in Korea, this study aims to investigate how family caregivers' burden with demented patients and social supports are related to their health and quality of life, and the interaction of caregiving burden and social supports on caregivers' health and quality of life. The participants were 207 family caregivers (106 females) of demented patients lived in Seoul, Kyunggi, and Chungcheong areas, whose average of age were 51.62 ( SD=9.25). The psychological tests used in this research included the following: Multidimensional Caregiver Burden Inventory, Chon's Physical Symptom Questionnaire, Hahn & Jang's Perceived Health Inventory, Negative Affect Self-Statement Questionnaire, and the Korean Version of Cambell's Subjective Well-being Scale, Social Support Survey in Medical Outcomes Study, and Kwon's Questionnaire for Maladjusted Problems of Demented. Results indicated that caregivers' burden with demented patient related to physical symptoms and depression positively, and perceived health and subjective well-being negatively. Social supports showed moderate effects on influences of caregiving burden in perceived health, depression, and subjective well-being of family caregivers with demented patients. It was identified the possibility of their buffering effect on negative results of caregiving burden with demented patients. Since caregiving burden accounted for the 34% of the variances for family caregivers' physical symptoms and depression, researchers discussed the promotion and intervention of their health and quality of life. Beside of different effects of social supports with level of caregiving burden, with previous studies it was discussed some saliant findings such as family caregivers with patients who showed severe dementia symptoms were perceiving even less supports from others.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.28 no.12
• /
• pp.267-279
• /
• 2023

The objective of this paper is to examine the legal framework governing the import and export of grain in China, a pivotal factor in shaping policies aimed at stabilizing South Korea's foreign trade and grain imports. Through this analysis, it is observed that China's foreign trade system, governed by the Foreign Trade Act, exhibits a notable absence of clear delineation regarding the scope and responsibility for the delegation of authority to foreign trade management agencies. In contrast, Korea's Foreign Trade Law, along with its enforcement decree and management regulations, explicitly outlines the scope and responsibilities pertaining to the delegation of authority to foreign trade management. However, in the case of China's revised Foreign Trade Law, there exists a lack of precision in specifying the delegation of authority to foreign trade management. This creates a potential for discretionary intervention by local governments or other administrative bodies. While China's legal system concerning grain imports and exports aligns with WTO regulations in its institutional framework, attention is warranted due to the vagueness in laws or regulations, as well as the presence of irrational and non-transparent procedures during system operation. As conclusion remarks, while China's legal structure related to grain imports and exports conforms to WTO guidelines overall, the identified issues such as legal ambiguity and non-transparent procedures underscore the need for caution. To safeguard against potential challenges in future trade interactions with China, proactive measures are crucial to address these concerns.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.34 no.7
• /
• pp.520-530
• /
• 2024

Tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) play a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. When the function of these genes is lost, it can lead to cellular plasticity that drives the development of various cancers, including small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), which is known for its aggressive nature. SCLC is primarily driven by numerous loss-of-function mutations in TSGs, often involving genes that encode epigenetic regulators. These mutations pose a significant therapeutic challenge as they are not directly targetable. However, understanding the molecular changes resulting from these mutations might provide insights for developing tumor intervention strategies. We propose that despite the heterogeneous genomic landscape of SCLC, the effects of mutations in patient tumors converge on a few critical pathways that drive malignancy. Specifically, alterations in epigenetic regulators lead to transcriptional dysregulation, pushing mutant cells toward a highly plastic state that makes them immune evasive and highly metastatic. This review will highlight studies showing how an imbalance of epigenetic regulators with opposing functions leads to the loss of immune recognition markers, effectively hiding tumor cells from the immune system. Additionally, we will discuss the role of epigenetic regulators in maintaining neuroendocrine features and how aberrant transcriptional control promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition during tumor development. Although these pathways seem distinct, we emphasize that they often share common molecular drivers and mediators. Understanding the connection among frequently altered epigenetic regulators will provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying SCLC development, potentially revealing preventive and therapeutic vulnerabilities for SCLC and other cancers with similar mutations.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.565-574
• /
• 2024

Objective: To evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes of the Passeo-18 Lux drug-coated balloon (DCB) in endovascular revascularization procedures under real-world conditions in a Korean population with atherosclerotic disease of the infrainguinal arteries, including below-the-knee (BTK) arteries. Materials and Methods: Eight institutions in the Republic of Korea participated in this prospective, multicenter, single-arm, post-market surveillance study. Two hundred patients with Rutherford class 2-5 peripheral arterial disease and infrainguinal lesions suitable for endovascular treatment were competitively enrolled. Data were collected at baseline, the time of intervention, discharge, and 1-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up visits. The primary safety endpoint was freedom from major adverse events (MAE) within 6 months (except when limiting the time frame for procedure- or device-related mortality to within 30 days), and the primary effectiveness endpoint was freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) within 12 months after the procedure. Results: A total of 197 patients with 332 target lesions were analyzed. Two-thirds of the patients had diabetes mellitus, and 41.6% had chronic limb-threatening ischemia. The median target lesion length was 100 mm (interquartile range: 56-133 mm). Of the target lesions, 35.2% were occlusions, and 14.8% were located in the BTK arteries. Rate of freedom from MAE was 97.9% at 6 months, and the rate of freedom from CD-TLR was 95.0% and 92.2% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Subgroup analysis of 43 patients and 49 target lesions involving the BTK arteries showed rate of freedom from MAE of 92.8% at 6 months and rates of freedom from CD-TLR of 88.8% and 84.4% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Conclusion: The results of the present study, including the BTK subgroup analysis, showed outcomes comparable to those of other DCB studies, confirming the safety and effectiveness of Passeo-18 Lux DCB in the Korean population.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.23 no.9
• /
• pp.866-877
• /
• 2022

Objective: The optimal imaging approach for evaluating pathological nipple discharge remains unclear. We investigated the value of adding ductography to ultrasound (US) for evaluating pathologic nipple discharge in patients with negative mammography findings. Materials and Methods: From July 2003 to December 2018, 101 women (mean age, 46.3 ± 12.2 years; range, 23-75 years) with pathologic nipple discharge were evaluated using pre-ductography (initial) US, ductography, and post-ductography US. The imaging findings were reviewed retrospectively. The standard reference was surgery (70 patients) or > 2 years of follow-up with US (31 patients). The diagnostic performances of initial US, ductography, and post-ductography US for detecting malignancy were compared using the McNemar's test or a generalized estimating equation. Results: In total, 47 papillomas, 30 other benign lesions, seven high-risk lesions, and 17 malignant lesions were identified as underlying causes of pathologic nipple discharge. Only eight of the 17 malignancies were detected on the initial US, while the remaining nine malignancies were detected by ductography. Among the nine malignancies detected by ductography, eight were detected on post-ductography US and could be localized for US-guided intervention. The sensitivities of ductography (94.1% [16/17]) and post-ductography US (94.1% [16/17]) were significantly higher than those of initial US (47.1% [8/17]; p = 0.027 and 0.013, respectively). The negative predictive value of post-ductography US (96.9% [31/32]) was significantly higher than that of the initial US (83.3% [45/54]; p = 0.006). Specificity was significantly higher for initial US than for ductography and post-ductography US (p = 0.001 for all). Conclusion: The combined use of ductography and US has a high sensitivity for detecting malignancy in patients with pathologic nipple discharge and negative mammography. Ductography findings enable lesion localization on second-look post-ductography US, thus facilitating the selection of optimal treatment plans.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.24 no.11
• /
• pp.1102-1113
• /
• 2023

Objective: To elucidate the use of radiological studies, including nuclear medicine, and biopsy for the diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer (PCA) in clinical practice and understand the current status of PCA in Asian countries via an international survey. Materials and Methods: The Asian Prostate Imaging Working Group designed a survey questionnaire with four domains focused on prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), other prostate imaging, prostate biopsy, and PCA backgrounds. The questionnaire was sent to 111 members of professional affiliations in Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan who were representatives of their working hospitals, and their responses were analyzed. Results: This survey had a response rate of 97.3% (108/111). The rates of using 3T scanners, antispasmodic agents, laxative drugs, and prostate imaging-reporting and data system reporting for prostate MRI were 21.6%-78.9%, 22.2%-84.2%, 2.3%-26.3%, and 59.5%-100%, respectively. Respondents reported using the highest b-values of 800-2000 sec/mm² and fields of view of 9-30 cm. The prostate MRI examinations per month ranged from 1 to 600, and they were most commonly indicated for biopsy-naïve patients suspected of PCA in Japan and Singapore and staging of proven PCA in Korea and Taiwan. The most commonly used radiotracers for prostate positron emission tomography are prostate-specific membrane antigen in Singapore and fluorodeoxyglucose in three other countries. The most common timing for prostate MRI was before biopsy (29.9%). Prostate-targeted biopsies were performed in 63.8% of hospitals, usually by MRI-ultrasound fusion approach. The most common presentation was localized PCA in all four countries, and it was usually treated with radical prostatectomy. Conclusion: This survey showed the diverse technical details and the availability of imaging and biopsy in the evaluation of PCA. This suggests the need for an educational program for Asian radiologists to promote standardized evidence-based imaging approaches for the diagnosis and staging of PCA.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
• /
• v.6
• /
• pp.105-115
• /
• 2024

Wild ginseng, grown in undisturbed forest environments, has been maintained for centuriesthrough human intervention and knowledge, leading to the development of current ginseng agriculture. The practice of ginseng farming has long been established in various regions of Korea. However, the ginseng farming specifically in Geumsan was recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2018. This designation was granted after a thorough evaluation, which confirmed that Geumsan's ginseng farming met the necessary criteria, including historical importance, traditional knowledge system, agrobiodiversity, and agricultural landscape. Traditional ginseng farming in Geumsan practices the 'rotating agriculture system', a sustainable land use approach that has been developed over several cycles of long duration (10-15 years). It contains the knowledge to choose locations for cultivation that prioritize the direction of sunlight and wind circulation. Furthermore, it received significant recognition for its agricultural heritage value based on its maintenance of several traditional knowledge systems, including ancestral wisdom and knowledge regarding pre-planting field management techniques. As of December 2023, there are currently 86 locations in 26 nations that have been designated as GIAHS. Among these sites, Geumsan stands out as the first and only site in the world specifically recognized for the cultivation of ginseng crops. This historical record serves as a significant reminder of Korea's prominent position as a major producer of ginseng on a global level. This article first provides an overview of the concept of agricultural heritage, the designation criteria, and the status of the designation. It then identifies, among the GIAHS designation criteria, the agricultural heritage value of traditional ginseng farming in the Geumsan region from the perspective of local traditional knowledge systems.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.15-23
• /
• 2002

Knowledge regarding the resilience factors and risk factors of the childhood trauma on the developental trajectory is in its infancy due to the lack of prospective follow-up studies in the childhood trauma and limited understanding of the complex reciprocal interactions between childhood trauma, develop-ent and various aspects of children's environment. These difficulties in the conceptual framework and research methods in the childhood trauma are partly reflected in the inconsistencies, even controversies, of the results in the childhood trauma researches. Despite these difficulties, common aspects of the risk factors and resilience of the childhood trauma on the development can be identified from the previous studies. The resilience to the negative outcome on the development by childhood trauma includes：sex female before puberty, male after puberty or infancy), high socioeconomic status, no organic problem, easy temperament, no previous experience with early loss or separation, younger age at the trauma, better problem solving capacity, high self-esteem, internal locus of control, high coping skills, ability to identify interpersonal relationships, ability to play, sense of humor, having capable parents, having a warm relaionship with at least one of the parents, high education and participating in the organized religious activities. These commonalities of the results suggest that risk and resilient factors of the childhood trauma are interdependent, each factor has multiplicity in the impacts on the children's development according to the developmental stage of the child, family and children's other environment, trauma and stressor have diverse effects according to their intensity and risk and resilience factors could have synergistic or antagonistic effects to each other. To develop comprehensive understanding on the relationship between childhood trauma and developmental psychopathology, risk and resilience factors and to develop effective and efficient prevention and intervention, research on the effect of the stress on the neurodevelopment, on the individual differences of the response to the trauma including genetic factors and constitution, and on the brain plasticity should be accompanied in the future.