• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.130-135
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• 2013

We investigated the lung function change and quality of life in smokers after taking herbal medicine. The patients were divided into two groups(smoking and non-smoking). We measured lung function change by VRI and quality of life by BDI and Fatigue Scale Score before and after herbal medicine intake. And we examined changes of nicotine dependence, total smoking amount, tobacco flavor in smoking group. The VRI energy bar could not represent the change of the lung function in smoking group and non-smoking group. And there was no change of lung function by VRI in two group patients before and after herb medication. But after taking herb medicine, the patients who have abnormal sound in VRI were improved. The herbal medicine does not affect to the amount of smoking, tobacco flavor, nicotine dependence in Smoking patients. Smoking group were higher than non-smokers in BDI score and Fatigue Scale score. Smoking group were more improved than the non-smokers in BDI and Fatigue Scale Score after taking herbal medicine.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.853-862
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence the functional status of patients with heart failure. Method: A descriptive, correlational study design was used. The participants in this study were 260 patients with heart failure who were admitted at Y University and U University in Seoul, Korea. Between September 2005 and December 2005 data was collected by an interview using a questionnaire and from medical records. The Functional status was measured with KASI. Physical factors (dyspnea, ankle edema, chest pain, fatigue, and sleep dysfunction), psychological factors (anxiety and depression), and situational factors (self-management compliance and family support) were examined. Result: In general, the functional status, anxiety, depression, self-management compliance, and family support was relatively not good. The level of fatigue was highest and the level of ankle edema was lowest for physical symptom experiences. In regression analysis, functional status was significantly influenced by dyspnea(23%), age(13%), monthly income(7%), fatigue(3%), ankle edema(2%), depression(1%), and length of stay in the hospital(1%). These factors explained 50% of the variables in the functional status. Conclusion: These results suggest that psycho-physiological symptoms management should be a focus to improve the functional status in patients with heart failure.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.188-202
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• 2003

The aim of study was to investigate the effects of 12 forms of Sun-style Tai-Chi for arthritis(TCA) on physical symptom(pain, tenderness, swelling fatigue, and blood pressure), physical function(balance, flexibility, grip strength) and social-psychological health status in osteoarthritis(OA) patients and rheumatoid arthritis(RA) patients. This study was done with one group pretest-posttest design. A total 21 arthritis patients(6 OA patient and 15 RA patient) participated in 60 minute session consisting of warm-up exercise 12-main movement including qigong, and cool-down exercise twice a week for 6weeks. Physiological and social-psychological variables were measured before and after TCA 12 form. The researcher who completed a Tai Chi workshop for exercise leaders in Australia and Seoul taught the Tai Chi movement step by step until the patient felt comfort enough to perform them correctly by themselves during the first 4 weeks. At the last 2 weeks, the subject perform 10-15set of these at a session with traditional music to help patients move in a slow tempo. TCA 12 forms program showed significant improvement in fatigue(p=0.039) of rheumatoid arthritis patient and pain(p=0.006), fatigue(p=0.013), tenderness(p=0.032), flexibility(rt arm up, p=0.014, If arm up, P=0.003), grip strength(rt hand, p=0.002, If hand, P=0.003) of osteoarthritis patients. With assessment by Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 questionnaire(AIMS2), physical component(0.002) and social interaction(0.025) on osteoarthritis patients were significantly improved. Evaluation of the participants about TCA exercise noted that the exercise was fairly easy(23.6%), moderately difficult(57.1%), and fairly difficult(14.3%). Considering the result of this study, TCA exercise program was more effective in pain, tenderness, grip strength, flexibility, and physical and social interaction on osteoarthritis patients than rheumatoid arthritis patients. Tai-Chi for arthritis 12 form was an appropriate intensity exercise for osteoarthritis patients.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.239-248
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• 2019

There are no published data on Gyeongokgo (GOK) safety or efficacy despite being commonly use. The Gyeongokgo (GOK) is commonly used in traditional Korean medicine to promote a health qi and blood, but their objective data was not sufficient in clinical field. To investigate the safety and efficacy of GOK with hematologic and serologic testing and the change of the quality of life in healthy individuals. Randomized, subject-assessor-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center pilot study Participants and Interventions 29 healthy volunteer subjects were randomly placed into the GOK group (n = 20) or placebo control group (n = 9) and instructed to take one treatment packet (GOK or placebo) twice daily for 4 weeks. Subjects were assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and underwent hematologic and serologic tests and body composition analysis. The FSS total score (p = 0.093) and SF-36 general health index (p = 0.002) were improved following treatment in the GOK group. Post-treatment thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were increased in the GOK group compared with pre-treatment levels (p = 0.0042). C-reactive protein levels decreased (p = 0.0256) in the GOK group compared with that the placebo group. In time-series tests, GOK did not affect post-prandial serum triglycerides, glucose, insulin, or C-peptide levels. Notably, elevations in serum fasting triglycerides at 2- (p = 0.0333) and 4-hours (p = 0.0414) post-prandial were lower than those in the placebo group. GOK reduced fatigue levels and did not significantly affect laboratory test results performed to measure safety, serum glucose, and lipid profiles. Post-meal triglyceride levels were effectively reduced with treatment.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 1998

Aircraft and the three-dimensional environment in which they operate are not user-friendly for human beings. As a result, maintaining the proficiencies necessary to safely and efficiently fly an airplane are difficult, and costly. The physiological and emotional status of the human element remains crucial in maintaining safe performance by all crew members. In the study of Hagiwara et al.(1993). they called the physiological and emotional status of the human element into the human alertness or physiological activity and stress, fatigue, circadian rhythm, alcohol. smoking, and self-medication are known the major factors that deteriorate the human alertness. Accordingly. this paper deals with the quantitative and objective performance test based on tracking error and reaction time by means of the new computer test program into which the perception-motion system of human beings is applied. Throughout this experiment using performance test, the results suggest that performance capability in state of sleep deprivation 2 hours and alcoholic 0.05~0.06% in blood were more impaired than one in a normal state, and they further showed statistically significant differences between them, which were influenced by impairment factors of body regulation and pilot's grade. We also obtained the prediction value and the 95% confidence interval of tracking error and reaction time at the normal state for the purpose of distinguishing performance capability between the normal state and the abnormal state. And it is expected that the evaluation of human alertness using performance test will be applied to the quantitative assessment of an each pilot's realistic consciousness/attention, and will lead a flight commander to the accurate decision of mission approval prior to a flight.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.343-359
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• 2016

Objective:In this study, we designed working clothes for livestock farmers to wear in spring and autumn to improve their work efficiency, conducted a physiological test on their performance, and evaluated their comfort. Background: In recent years, livestock farming in Korea has expanded, yet farmers' safety and sanitation levels remain low in hazardous environments that include organic dust, toxic gas, and heat stress, as well as the risk of accidents. Furthermore, most livestock farmers wear ordinary or dust-resistant clothes that are unsuitable for rearing livestock and compromise their safety and health. Thus, it is important to design specialized working clothes for livestock farmers that are comfortable and that minimize their health and safety risks. Method: To this end, we examined the literature on livestock (poultry, swine, and cattle) farmers' safety and sanitation issues, designed appropriate working clothes, and tested them in terms of sensory feel, physiological response, and subjective comfort. Results: The respondents expressed satisfaction with the new working clothes. The results of a physiological test showed a decline in temperature and humidity inside the clothes, a lower pulse rate, and a lower oxygen intake compared to the measurements taken when famers wore their previous working clothes. This indicates a fall in heat stress and fatigue, which was mostly consistent with the results of the assessment of subjective comfort. Conclusion: The results of the analysis show an improvement in the comfort of the new working clothes compared to the dust-resistant clothes that are widely worn. Based on this study, the new working clothes need to be further tested and evaluated to improve the design. Application: This study is expected to contribute to designing better working clothes for livestock farmers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.14 no.1 s.33
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• pp.44-54
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• 1990

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of thickness of the sleeping pad on the physiological responses and the microclimate in the heating ondol room during sleeping time. The measuring points were skin temp., weight loss and body movement as physiological responses and the compression ratio, the temp. on/under the sleeping pad, the inside limp. of the sleeping quilts and subjective sence while 7 hours sleeping. Thickness of sleeping pads was 27.2 mm(A), 34.8 mm (B), 47.9 mm(C) used for 90 days and no used pad 60.7 mm(D). The floor surface temp. was keeping $29{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ while the environmental conditions was at $23{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ ($50{\pm}5\%$ R.H.) The results were as followings; 1) The mean compression ratio after using the sleeping pads for 45 days was about $70\%$ , and it wasn't increased any more thereafter 2) After 2 hours sleeping the temp. under the sleeping pads was shown that C and D were higher than A and B, and the temp. on the sleeping pads was shown that A and C pads were higher than B and D. But after 3-4 hours sleeping the skin temp. of legs was shown that B and D pads were higher than A and C. 3) Weight loss for C pad was significantly higher than others. Body movement and side position in tying was higher in A and C pads than B and D. 4) The inside temp. of quilt for A and C pads were higher in the early part of sleeping period than those of B and C pads and relative humidity was lower in C than others. 5) D pad was softer than others and fatigue degree was turned out to be lowest in D, the highest in A. From this point of view, we concluded that thickness of the sleeping Pad in the heating ondol room had different characteristic from that in no heating ondol room. And 35 mm used pad was turned out to be proper.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.309-319
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of watching a virtual reality (VR) forest video on stress reduction in adults. Experiments were performed in an artificial climate chamber where temperature, humidity and illumination were controlled. To cause stress in subjects, the subjects were asked to multiply two digit numbers by one digit numbers for two minutes. The subjects then watched a VR forest video for five minutes. During the experiment, the heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate (HR) of subjects were continuously measured for evaluating their physiological state. After measuring the baseline and watching a VR forest video, their psychological state was evaluated using the profile of mood state (POMS), semantic differential (SD) method, and positive affect and negative affect schedule (PANAS). The results of physiological evaluation after watching a VR forest video showed a decrease in the stress index and HR, an increase in the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, and the standard deviation of normal to normal RR intervals (SDNN). The results of psychological assessment confirmed that watching a VR forest video induced "comfort", "natural", and "soothed" feelings in subjects. In addition, watching a VR forest video decreased "tension-anxiety (T-A)", "depression-dejection (D)", "anger-hostility (A-H)", "fatigue (F)", "total mood disturbance (TMD)", and increased "vigor (V)" compared to the base line, and decreased "negative affect" and increased "positive affect." These results indicate that watching a VR forest video decreases adults' stress index, stabilizes physiological state, and has a positive impact on psychological state. The findings of this study can serve as a basis for providing forest welfare services to people in the blind spots of forest welfare, and can lay a foundation for the adoption of VR, one of the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution in forestry.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.129-149
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• 1991

Circadian rhythm is entrained in the 24-hour time interval by periodic factors in the environment, known as zeitgeber. But most rotating work schedules are outside the range of the entrainment of the pacemaker timing the human circadian sleep - wake cycle. It has been postulated that physiological and emotional disturbances occur in most human functions when the circadian rhythm is disturbed. So application of circadian principles to the design of shift schedules can aid in maintaining the temporal integrity of the circadian system and thereby minimize for the shift worker any detrimental consequences of circadian disruption. This study was a quasi-experimental study to test the effect of shift intervals for the clinical nurse on the circadian rhythm. Twenty nurses newly employed in general units of two hospitals were selected as an experimental group and twelve college nursing students as a control group. Both groups were selected according to an established criteria using a purposive sampling technique. Ten subjects were assigned to a weekly shift group and another ten to a biweekly shift group engaged in a semi -continuous shift schedule(sunday off) with a backward direction, that is, morning -evening - night shift. The control group worked a morning shift for 42 days. Oral temperature rhythm, waking tim, sleep - wake cycle, fatigue, and mental performance were measured during the experimental period. The data collection period was from April 30, 1990 to June 10, 1990. MANOVA, paired t-test, ANOVA, and Student Newman Keuls method were used for statistical analysis. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Phase delay in the acrophase of temperature rhythm was shown according to the backward rotating shift. A complete adaptation to work on the night shift was achieved between the sixth and ninth day of the night shift. 2. There was no difference in either waking time or sleep- wake cycle according to the duration of the working day for every shift group. Significant difference was found in the waking time and the sleep -wake cycle for subjects on the morning, evening, and night shift in both of the shift groups(weekly shift group : λ＝0.121, p＜0.01, λ＝0.112, p＜0.01, biweekly shift group : λ＝0.116, p＜0.01, λ＝0.084, p＜0.01). 3. There was no difference in fatigue between the first working day and the last working day for the control group and for the biweekly shift group. In the weekly shift group, physical fatigue was significantly different for the first day and the sixth day of the night shift(t＝-2.28, p＜0.05). Physical fatigue and total fatigue on the first day of the night shift showed a significant difference among the control group, the weekly shift group, and the biweekly shift group(F＝5.79, p＜0.01, F＝4.56, p＜0.05). There was a significant difference between the shift groups and the control group(p＜0.05), Physical fatigue, neurosensory fatigue and total fatigue on the last day of the night shift showed a significant difference among the control group, the weekly shift group, and the biweekly shift group(F＝12.65, p＜0.01, F＝7.77, p＜0.01, F＝9.68, p＜0.01). There was a significant difference between the shift groups and the control group(p＜0.05). 4. No difference in mental performance was seen between the first day and the last day of work in each case. An arithmatic test on the first day of the night shift revealed a significant difference among the control group, the weekly shift group, and the biweekly shift group(F＝3.79, p＜0.05). There was a significant difference between the shift groups and the control group(p＜0.05) . The digital symbol substitution test and the arithmetic test on the last day of the night shift showed a significant difference among the control group, the weekly shift group, and the biweekly shift group(F＝3.68, p＜0.05, F＝5.55, p＜0.01), and both showed a significant difference between the shift groups and the control group(p＜0.05). Accordingly, this study showed that during night duty, the waking time, sleep- wake cycle, and fatigue increased and mental performance decreased compared with morning and evening duty. It was also found that the weekly shift group had a higher fatigue score on the sixth day of night duty as compared to the -first day, but the waking time, sleep- wake cycle, and mental performance revealed no difference for the duration of the night duty or between shift groups, and complete adaptation of temperature rhythm was achieved between the sixth and ninth day of night duty. It is possible to conclude from these results that for intermediate circadian type in a healthy young woman, a biweekly shift system is more compatible with the circadian timing system than weekly shift system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.16-19
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• 2014

The presbyphonia is a combination of physiological and structural changes due to aging of the larynx in elderly patients with voice problems. Some of these changes are inevitable, while others may be avoidable or reversible. The fatigue of phonation is the most common clinical symptom of the aging voice. The voice problems with aging are produced from variable causes including the organic lesions of the larynx. It is essential that the curers understand physiologic and pathologic changes of aging voice for minimizing glottal incompetence and improving vocal performance and quality of life of the elderly.