• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 2005

In South America, natural products with unknown drug effects are used as folk remedies and for preventive medicine. Among South American natural products, we directed our attention to Propolis, which have been known as medicinal plants, and examined the mechanisms by which these substances affect antioxidant activity, anti-tumor activity and immunoresponse. When the antioxidant activities of Propolis were examined by the DPPH and Rhoudan iron methods, since Propolis contains high levels of flavonoids, it is thought that flavonoids may be responsible for the antioxidant activity in this study. In the examination of immunoenhancement activity, we measured lymphocyte versus polymorphonuclear leukocyte ratios (L/P activity). The number of lymphocytes was significantly increased in groups treated with Proplolis. Specifically, slightly high levels of $IFN-{\gamma}$ were measured in mice bearing the S-180 carcinoma, after administration of Propolis. This strongly suggests that cellular immunity is especially activated by treatment with Propolis, because production of $IFN-{\alpha}$ is limited to the T cells and NK cells stimulated by mitogen and sensitized antigen. $TNF-{\alpha}$ shows a different extent and mechanism of action depending on the target cells. When $TNF-{\alpha}$ was measured in mice bearing the S-180 carcinoma, mice treated with Propolis showed slightly higher $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels as compared to the control group. This suggests that activated macrophages produce $TNF-{\alpha}$ in mice treated with Prapolis, since activated macrophages and lymphocytes are the source of most $TNF-{\alpha}$. When anti-tumor action was examined using two kinds of sarcoma (Ehrlich solid carcinoma and Sarcoma-180 carcinoma), tumor-suppressive ratios after treatment with Propolis was 29.1%. When Sarcoma-180 solid carcinoma was used, tumor-suppressive ratios were 62%. Thus, Propolis showed strong anti-tumor activity against two kinds of solid carcinoma. Taken altogether, this strongly suggests that Propolis enhances original functions of macrophages and NK cells, and as a result, secondarily enhances the immune reaction and suppresses tumor growth.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.153-165
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• 2006

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to obtain basic data about medical consumer's behavior by the examination of the demographic characteristics, experience of medical service and attitude toward traditional medicine based on the outpatients of oriental medicine clinic. Methods: The participants of this study are outpatients in 5 oriental medicine clinics located in the metropolitan area. The resources were collected from the self-administration questionnaire survey. 202 samples were collected. The SPSS 13.0 for windows was used for statistical analysis: One-way ANOVA, $x^2-test$, correlation analysis were used to verify the results. Results & Conclusions: The results from this study are as follow. 1, The group which are in low-ade educational background and income selected traditional medicine for the promotion of health. In this group, traditional medicine was consumed with higher purchasing frequency and more satisfaction and considered more safe and effective, on the other hand western medicine was consumed with lower frequency. People In this group highly evaluated the kindness of oriental medicine doctor and more interested in health. 2. The group which selected traditional medicine for the treatment of disease more frequently consumed traditional medicine. People In this group highly evaluated the efficacy and economical efficiency of traditional me야cine and the kindness of oriental medicine doctor. 3. The group which selected traditional medicine for the management of disease iess : frequently consumed western medicine. People In this group highly evaluated the efficacy of traditional medicine. 4. Purchasing frequency on traditional medicine was higher in the 50year above group than $30{\sim}39year$, 29year and below group.(P<0.1) 5. Purchasing frequencyy on traditional medicine slightly correlated with the satisfaction of traditional medicine and the kindness of oriental medicine doctor. The satisfaction of traditional medicine strongly correlated with the kindness of oriental medicine doctor. 6. The efficacy of traditional medicine and the kindness of oriental medicine doctor were highly evaluated in the $10{\sim}19times$ experience group and 20times above experience group than $1{\sim}4times$ experience group.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 2010

Objectives: The aims of this study were to provide basic information on health behaviors of diabetics by age groups, compared to non-diabetics group. Methods: 2007 National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey Data were used to compare health behaviors between the diabetics group (191 diabetics who had been diagnosed by a doctor) and the non-diabetics group (382 general population) according to age groups. For the purpose of analysis, $x^2$-test (Fischer's exact test) and conditional logistic regression were used. Results: There were significant differences in health behaviors between the diabetics group and the non-diabetics group according to the history of health screening, BMI and alcohol consumption, and there were different pattern of health behaviors by age group. Conclusion: When developing and implementing health education and specific intervention programs for the correction of health behaviors among diabetics, one should consider age, age-adjusted health behavior patterns and priority.

• Journal of Korean Medical Ki-Gong Academy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.130-157
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• 2007

The purpose of this research is to seek for efficient health maintenance device and to suggest desirable daily habit, based on the inquiry on interrelationship between workers' daily lives and their heartbeat change level. The paper survey about general features, case history and daily habits was conducted on workers during medical examination in Jeollabukdo, and examined their change of heartbeat as well. The results of research deducted from data analysis are as follows; 1. There found very positive interrelations between time-domain analysis and frequency-domain analysis, and MHR and LF/HF ratio had negative connection with other analyses. 2. The recipient showed high time-domain analysis when they are younger, have worked shorter or have spouse, and it contributes to stable sympathetic nerve and parasympathetic nerve as it stimulates autonomic nervous system. 3. According to the result of frequency-domain analysis, recipients showed higher TP and LF when they are younger, and the highest HF when they are under 34.The level of VLF was higher for university graduates than the ones who finished high school. The recipients showed higher TP and HF when they don't have spouse, and lower TP, LF and HF when they have worked longer. 4. The level of RMSSD and TSRD was high for the people who don't have case history, and HF was high when they don't have any disease in progress. 5. According to the result concerning correlation of daily habits with time-domain analysis and frequency-domain analysis, cigarette, alcohol and sleeping hours don't affect heartbeat change, but the ones who regularly workout showed higher result in every analysis. It shows that the autonomic nervous system of recipients who regularly exercise response more actively. The result mentioned above suggests that the change of heartbeat is a direct index which shows the change of autonomic nervous system, and it depends on the exercise the most. Thus, workout is proved to be the best method in order for workers to take care of their health.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.151-161
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report the improvement of multiple rib fracture after korean medical treatment; adhesive treatment and herb-medicine treatment. Methods: A patient with multiple rib fracture was treated with Daewhangchija-paste(大黃梔子膏) adhesive and herb-medicine treatment. Verbal numeric rating scale, medical examination by interview and rib series x-ray were used to assess progress of treatment. And we took pictures of left flank after attaching Daewhangchija-paste to observe the changes of the skin colors. Results: Rib series x-ray taken after 2 months of treatment revealed hard callus which added stability against external force on rib cage. After taking off Daewhangchija-paste, left plank skin turned into blue, green and yellow. And the pain level(VNRS) of left plank decreased from 10 to 0.5 for 4 months. Conclusions: Pain reduction on trauma site and improvement of general health condition were observed during combination treatment of Daewhangchija-paste adhesive and herb-medicine.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.2 s.66
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• pp.14-22
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• 2006

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to find the prevalences and risk factors of the metabolic syndrome according to Sasang constitution. Methods : The medical records of 364 subjects who had taken health examinations and diagnosis of Sasang constitution from January to June of 2003 at a health examination center of a hospital in Seoul were reviewed. The prevalences and the risk factors of the metabolic syndrome according to Sasang constitution were compared and analyzed. Results : 1) Among the 364 subjects, 88 (24.2%) were Soeumin, 101 (27.7%) were Soyangin, and 175 (48.1%) were Taeumin. 2) The prevalences of high WC, high TG, low HDL-c, high BP and high FBS of Taeumin were significantly higher than those of the other constitutions (p-value < 0.05). 3) The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome of Taeumin, Soyangin, and Soeumin were 46.3%, 16.8% and 9.1% respectively. The rates were significantly different according to Sasang constitution (p-value < 0.001). 4) Taeumin had higher risk of high WC than Soeumin (adjusted OR : 3.83, 95% CI : 1.19-12.29) and higher risk of high FBS than Soeumin (adjusted OR: 5.93,95% CI : 1.11-31.77). 5) Taeumin had higher risk of the metabolic syndrome than Soeumin (adjusted OR : 3.40, 95% CI : 1.25-9.23). Conclusions : There were significant differences in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to Sasang constitution. Sasang constitution was identified as an independent risk factor of metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.148-159
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• 2007

1. Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of Metabolic syndrome(MetS) and Intima-media thickness(IMT) of common carotid artery with Sasang constitution. 2. Methods 197 subjects who had taken health examinations and diagnosis of Sasang constitution from Jan 1, 2006 to Dec 31, 2006 at East-west health examination center of Kyung-Hee medical center were included and underwent B-mode ultrasonography for measurement of intima-media thickness of common carotid arteries. MetS was defined by the criteria of the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. 3. Results and Conclusions Mean intima-media thickness of common carotid artery was significantly higher in subjects with MetS compared with control subjects($0.070{\pm}0.017$ vs $0.063{\pm}0.014cm$) and a significant trend towards increased IMT was observed with increasing numbers of metabolic syndrome components(r=0.331, p=0.000). After adjustment for age and sex, IMT of common carotid arteries was significantly different among three constitutional groups (Soyangin:$0.065{\pm}0.015cm$, Taeumin:$0.068{\pm}0.016cm$, Soeumin:$0.056{\pm}0.010cm$), however, after adjustment for age, sex and existence of metabolic syndrome, there was no significant different. But, factor of Taeumin was the effective determinant of the increase of mean IMT of common carotid arteries.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.20-29
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• 2010

1. Objectives Our goal is to observe the feasibility of constitution discrimination from computing quantitative roughness index from dynamic friction coefficients and their gradients with the measurement device of skin friction with 3-Axis load cell sensor. 2. Methods In the traditional Korean medicine, skin diagnosis is one of the examination methods to discriminate Sasang constitution since it was known that Tae-eumin has rough skin, and Soyangin has smooth one. It is based on the skin roughness on the back of one's hand for the discrimination. The measurement device of skin friction with 3-axis load cell sensor has been developed in order to provide quantitative skin roughness through dynamic friction coefficients. The effective interval of the coefficients is obtained from the automatic sampling algorithm to use their curvature and slope. Then, Fisher's discriminant function of them makes the discrimination. 3. Results The success rate of extracting the effective interval was about 90% and the discriminant accuracy between Tae-eumin and Soyangin was 70% and 68% for men and women, respectively. The entire methods showed the possibility to distinguish between Tae-eumin and Soyangin by using stochastic properties of roughness index, which can make the entire system to include the measurement, the computation of the roughness index and the discrimination of constitution automatical. 4. Conclusions The measurement device, the automatic sampling algorithm of dynamic friction coefficients and the constitution discrimination algorithm were developed, respectively, and their combination can become the serial and automatic procedure for quantitative and objective skin diagnosis, which mimics the movement of the Oriental medical doctors' skin diagnosis. It can be applied to healthcare as well as the diagnosis of constitution in a u-Health system soon.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.67-81
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• 2012

Objective : This study aimed to analyze the utilization of Korean Medicine clinics, and high-frequent diseases by sex, age, and region of outpatients and inpatients Methods : The data for this study were "Report on Usage Patterns of Korean Medicine Clinics" issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2008. Descriptive analysis and correspondence analysis were used to find the patterns of patient's utilization by sex, age and region Results : Diagnosis and examination methods mostly consisted of the pulse for diagnosis. Treatment methods consisted of acupuncture, medical herbs in package, and insurance extract powder. Fee for consultation was paid by Korean Medicine insurance. Usage increased when people's age was over 20 and climaxed among people who were in their 40s and 50s and decreased gradually afterwards. Also, there were differences between the sexes. There were differences in high-frequent diseases by regions, and in usage of Korean Medicine clinics according to sex and age. Conclusion : It was found that there were differences in usage and patterns of Korean Medicine Clinics according to sex, age, and region.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.2051-2057
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• 2007

In Oriental medicine, the status of a tongue is the important indicator to diagnose one's health like physiological and clinicopathological changes of inner parts of the body. The method of tongue diagnosis is not only convenient but also non-invasive and widely used in Oriental medicine. However, tongue diagnosis is affected by examination circumstances a lot like a light source, patient's posture and doctor's condition. To develop an automatic tongue diagnosis system for an objective and standardized diagnosis, segmenting a tongue is inevitable but difficult since the colors of a tongue, lips and skin in a mouth are similar. The proposed method includes preprocessing, graph-based over-segmentation, detecting positions with a local minimum over shading, detecting edge with color difference and estimating edge geometry from the probable structure of a tongue, where preprocessing performs down-sampling to reduce computation time, histogram equalization and edge enhancement. A tongue was segmented from a face image with a tongue from a digital tongue diagnosis system by the proposed method. According to three oriental medical doctors' evaluation, it produced the segmented region to include effective information and exclude a non-tongue region. It can be used to make an objective and standardized diagnosis.