• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.544-558
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• 2018

Because of the sex-gender differences that are shown in a diversity of physiological and psychological factors, it can be speculated that the clinical presentation of symptoms as well as treatment strategies in women and men with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may differ. Studies have revealed that IBS is more common in women than men. As for the IBS subtype, IBS with constipation is significantly more prevalent among women than men. Sex hormones and gender differences may play important roles in the pathophysiology of IBS. However, its pathophysiologic mechanisms still remain largely unknown, and therapeutic implications are limited. Moreover, women IBS patients have been reported to feel more fatigue, depression, anxiety, and lower quality of life than men IBS patients. Furthermore, there has been evidence of differences in the appropriate treatment efficacy to IBS in men and women, although relatively few men are enrolled in most relevant clinical trials. A more sex-gender-oriented approach in the medical care setting could improve understanding of heterogeneous patients suffering from IBS. An individualized and multicomponent approach including sex and gender issues might help improve the treatment of IBS.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1762-1768
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• 2004

The Korean formula medicine, Gami-Yukmi-Jihwang-Tang (GYJT) has been used for growing slowly, short of stature, incomplete development, fatigue, weak child, growing pain of child. However, it is still unclear how GYJT has an effect on experimental models. In the present study, the author investigated the immune-enhancing effect of GYJT. Forced swimming test (FST) was performed as a model of activity test in mice and measured blood urea nitrogen (BUN), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose (Glc) and total protein (TP) in the serum. GYJT (1, 0.1 and 0.01 g/㎏) were orally administered to mice, once per day for 7 days using a feeding atraumatic needle. After 3 days, on FST, the immobility time was significantly decreased in the GYJT (0.01g/㎏/day)-fed group (120.75±5.71s) in comparison with the saline-fed group (153.80±10.74s). After 7 days, the immobility time was significantly decreased in the GYJT (0.1 and 0.01g/㎏/day)-fed group (125.67±5.36s and 107.67±3.71s) in comparison with the saline-fed group (167.67±12.99s). In addition, the contents of BUN and Glc in the blood serum were significantly decreased and the contents of AST, ALT and LDH were also decreased in the GYJT (1g/㎏/day)-fed group. However, the content of TP was not changed. The present results suggest that GYJT may be useful for the anti-fatigue and immune-enhancing agent. Also, the author investigated the effect of GYJT on the production of cytokines in human T-cell line, MOLT-4 cells. However, GYJT has not affected the production of IFN­γ, IL-2, IL-4. These results suggest that GYJT has immune-enhancing effect but does not affect T cell-mediated production of cytokines in the immune function improvement.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.323-333
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• 2003

This is a comparative descriptive study conducted for 178 middle-aged women who were residing in Seoul and aged between 41 to 64 (95 in control group, and 83 in experimental group). The study was aimed to examine their climacteric symptoms, degree of fatigue, depression, anxiety and quality of sleep and to examine the differences on the symptoms between the two groups. Data were collected from April 1 to May 15, 2002 through self-statement using structured questionnaires. The collected data were verified with descriptive statistics, ? -test, t-test, ANOVA using SPSS/PC(+). The results are as follows. 1) The average scores of the climacteric symptoms were 1.56 .36 for the control group, and 1.55 .33 for the group taking relexzone massage, showing no significant difference between the groups (t=.15, p=.88). 2) The average scores of the degree of fatigue were 2.17 .65 for the control group, and 2.40 .66 for the group taking relexzone massage, showing a significant difference between the groups. (t=-2.31, p=.02) 3) The average scores of depression were 1.91 .50 for the control group, and 2.05 .42 for the group taking relexzone massage, showing a significant difference between the groups (t=-1.99, p=.05). 4) The average scores of anxiety were 1.54 .60 for the control group, and 1.57 .53 for the group taking relexzone massage, showing no significant difference between the groups (t=-.33, p=.74). 5) The average scores of quality of sleep were 2.97 .49 for the control group, and 2.98 .42 for the group taking relexzone massage, showing no significant difference between the groups(t=-.08, p=.93). Based on these results, the middle-aged women who take relexzone massage are considered to have less fatigue and depression than those who do not. As physiological regression progresses and the structure and role in the family are restructured, middle-aged women are like to experience various climacteric symptoms. As a nursing intervention, relexzone massage can be applied to middle-aged women to reduce their stress, climacteric symptoms and emotional anxiety, ultimately promoting their health. In order to implement relexzone massage as a nursing intervention, further testing on the psycho-neuroimmunologjcal effects of relexzone massage is necessary.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 1992

The present study was designed to evaluate effects of intermittent electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve on the atrophic response of antigravity muscles, such as the soleus (slow m.) and medial gastrocnemius (fast m.) muscles. Rats (Sprague-Dawley, 245-255g) were subjected to a hindlimb suspension and divided into three groups : one was with hindlimb suspension (MS) and another with hindlimb suspension plus intermittent electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve (HS ES). Control group (CONT) was kept free without strain of the hindlimb. After 7 days of hindlimb suspension, the soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscles were cut at their insertion sites, and were then connected to the force transducer to observe their mechanical properties. Optimal pulse width and frequency of electrical stimulation were 0.2ms, 20Hz for the soleus muscle and 0.3ms, 40Hz for the medial gastrocnemius muscle under supramaximal stimulation. Body weight and circumference of the hindlimb were significantly decreased in HS and HS-ES groups compared with the control group. In HS-ES group, however, the weight of the soleus muscle was not different from that in the control group while the weight of the medial gastrocnemius muscle was lower than that in the control group. In HS group, mechanical properties of muscle contraction including contraction time, half relaxation time, twitch tension, tetanic tension, and fatigue index of both muscles were significantly decreased compared with the control group except for twitch tension and tetanic tension of medial gastrocnemius muscle. The degree of atrophy of the soleus muscle in HS group was more prominent than that of the medial gastrocnemius muscle. Twitch tension and fatigue index of the soleus muscle and fatigue index of the medial gastrocnemius muscle in HS-ES group were not different from those of the control group. While mechanical properties of the soleus muscle examined were all significantly increased in HS-ES group compared with HS group, only contraction time and fatigue index of the medial gastrocnemius muscle were significantly increased in HS-ES group. These data indicate that intermittent electrical stimulation may be useful in prevention of muscle atrophy.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 2018

Stress involves changes in behavior, autonomic function and the secretion of hormones. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) contributes to physiological adaptive process in short durations. In particular, heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is commonly used as a quantitative marker depicting the ANS activity related to mental stress. The aim of this study is to investigate correlations between psychological responses to stress and HRV indices induced by the cognitive stressor. Thirty-three participants rated their mental and physical symptoms occurred during the past two weeks on Stress Response Inventory (SRI), which is composed of seven stress factors that may influence the status of mental stress levels. Then, they underwent the psychophysiological procedures, which are collected electrocardiogram (ECG) signals during a cognitive stress task. HRV indices, the standard deviation of R-R interval (SDNN), root mean square of successive R-R interval difference (RMSSD) and low frequency (LF)/high frequency (HF) ratio were extracted from ECG signals. Physiological responses were calculated stress responses by subtracting mean of the baseline from the mean of recovery. Stress factors such as tension, aggression, depression, fatigue, and frustration were positively correlated to HRV indices. In particular, aggression had significant positive correlations to SDNN, RMSSD and LF/HF ratio. Increased aggressive responses to stress correlated with the increases of all HRV indices. This means the increased autonomic coactivation. Additionally, tension, depression, fatigue, and frustration were positively associated with RMSSD reflecting increases in parasympathetic activation. The autonomic coactivation may represent an integrated response to specific cognitive reactions such as the orienting response.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.39C no.10
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• pp.887-895
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• 2014

Drowsy driving is a large proportion of the total car accidents. For this reason, drowsiness detection and warning system for drivers has recently become a very important issue. Monitoring physiological signals provides the possibility of detecting features of drowsiness and fatigue of drivers. Many researches have been published that to measure electroencephalogram(EEG) signals is the effective way in order to be aware of fatigue and drowsiness of drivers. The aim of this study is to extract drowsiness-related features from a set of EEG signals and to classify the features into three states: alertness, transition, and drowsiness. This paper proposes a drowsiness detection system using errors-in-variables(EIV) for extraction of feature vectors and multilayer perceptron (MLP) for classification. The proposed method evaluates robustness for noise and compares to the previous one using linear predictive coding (LPC) combined with MLP. From evaluation results, we conclude that the proposed scheme outperforms the previous one in the low signal-to-noise ratio regime.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2016

Weibull distribution with two parameters, shape (k) and scale (s) parameters are used to model the fatigue failure analysis due to periodic vortex shedding of the synovial fluid in knee joints. In order to determine the later parameter, a suitable statistical model is required for velocity distribution of synovial fluid flow. Hence, wide applicability of Weibull distribution in life testing and reliability analysis can be applied to describe the probability distribution of synovial fluid flow velocity. In this work, comparisons of three most widely used methods for estimating Weibull parameters are carried out; i.e. the least square estimation method (LSEM), maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) and the method of moment (MOM), to study fatigue failure of bone joint due to periodic vortex shedding of synovial fluid. The performances of these methods are compared through the analysis of computer generated synovial fluidflow velocity distribution in the physiological range. Significant values for the (k) and (s) parameters are obtained by comparing these methods. The criterions such as root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of determination ($R^2$), maximum error between the cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) or Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) and the chi square tests are used for the comparison of the suitability of these methods. The results show that maximum likelihood method performs well for most of the cases studied and hence recommended.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.343-352
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to investigate the market of fitness compression wear as well as to design an optimal fitness compression wear by analyzing the muscle and movement characteristics of the elderly women in Korea. In this regard, research for functional garments is needed to increase muscle activity of elderly people during physical exercise. Firstly, we investigated the brand, design, size, material, and pattern of fitness wear based on the market survey. Secondly, we identified preference, evaluation items, evaluation method, and pattern design method based on the literature review. Finally, in addition, the motion type, range, angle to improve the muscle strength of the elderly were investigated and the maximum muscle strengths of each motion were analyzed by using 2007 Size Korea data (n = 386). It is also designed for muscle fatigue through exercise and rapid fatigue recovery after exercise. The evaluation methods for fitness compression wear were classified as motor functionality, physiological comfort, pattern and material suitability evaluations. The muscle strength at leg (pushing force) and waist (lifting force) of the ages of 60 to 69 years old showed 239.3 N and 274.5 N, respectively, which were the lowest forces compared to younger age groups. By applying these results to the design process of fitness wear, it is anticipated that the fitness wear will have a proper fit to the body shape of elderly people in South Korea as well as it can increase muscle efficiency to promote physical capability and healthy life for senior people.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.338-343
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• 2001

Physical activity is one of important factors of the chronic disease. It was reported that Most of Korean workers didn't take exercise regularly. The purpose of this study is testing effects of exercise program, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. 30 subjects participating in this study are workers in small enterprises and have not taken exercise regularly. Exercise program, which includes education, support, monitoring, and counseling, was conducted for 6 weeks. Effects of this program was evaluated by the change of exercise, attitude, subjective norm, perceived control. intention of exercise, perceived health states, and fatigue. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. There was the significant difference between pre and post-test in the subjective norm, perceived control. and intention of exercise, but not the significant difference in the attitude of exercise. 2. 53.3% of the subject of this study had taken exercise regulary in the post-test. 3. There was not the significant difference in the perceived health states and fatigue, From the results, it can be concluded that the exercise program is effective, leading to the change of intention and exercise rate. On the other hand, it was not effective in Physiological aspects. It seems that these result was due to short term program. Thus, it can be recommended that studies are needed with longer term program and larger sample.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.376-380
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• 2012

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of traditional korean herbal medicine(Jaumkunbi-tang) therapy on a hyperthyroidism patient. Clinical data was analyzed on a patient with hyperthyroidism whose main symptoms were fatigue, palpitation, up flame, hyperhidrosis, hypersomnia and dyspepsia. The patient visited our hospital 9 times from November 10, 2011 and remianed until January 30, 2012. He was treated with Jaumkunbi-tang, the traditional korean herbal medicine. After treatment, improvement was seen in clinical symptoms(such as fatigue, palpitation, up flame, hyperhidrosis, hypersomnia and dyspepsia) and thyroid function test. The study suggests that Jaumkunbi-tang, one of traditional korean herbal medicines, could be effective on the treatment of hyperthyroidism.