• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.182-193
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• 1998

Background: Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), identified as a survival factor for developing peripheral neurons is upregulated by reactive astrocytes in the traumatized tissue and in areas of terminal degeneration after a brain lesion. But in the spinal cord, CNTF is expressed in the non-astrocytic phenotypic, maybe oligodendrocytes. The present study was undertaken to determine the upregulation of CNTF expression in reactive astrocytes following spinal cord lesion in the rat. Methods: Unilateral incision of the dorsal funiculus at the thoracic level was performed and rats were sacrificed on days 3, 7, 14 and 28 postlesion. Western blot analysis, immunocytochemical analysis and double immunofluorescence for CNTF and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were performed after spinal cord lesion. Results: A major band with 24 kDa and additional band of higher molecular weight form were detectable, and the intensity of the 24 kDa immunoreactive band increased up to 14 days postlesion and decreased toward laminectomized control values. CNTF immunoreactivity was markedly upregulated in the injured dorsal funiculus and adjacent gray matter. The time course of CNTF expression is coincident with the appearance of reactive astrocytes in the injured spinal cord. Moreover, double immunofluorescence for CNTF and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) revealed that CNTF immunoreactivity was in GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes. Conclusions: These results show that CNTF upregulation occurred in reactive astrocytes following spinal cord lesion, and suggest a role for CNTF in the regulation of astrocytic responses after spinal cord injury.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.33-37
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• 2009

Anti-inflammatory factor(AIF) is a water soluble extract of three herbs, Panax notoginseng(Burk.) F. H. Chen, Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch and Eleutherococcus senticosus. The present study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of herb extracts, AIF, on Korean knee osteoarthritis patients for six weeks. Fifty seven patients with knee osteoarthritis, ranging from 43 to 73 years of age, who fulfilled the "American College of Rheumatology"(ACR) classification of idiopathic osteoarthritis of knee and radiographic criteria were randomly selected and enrolled for the study. After initial screening and resting period, two capsules each of AIF(Each capsule contains; 400 mg) and similar identical placebo were administered twice a day to both groups. Pain intensity at second, fourth, and sixth weeks of study as well as one week after discontinuation of drugs was assessed by using 100 mm visual analogue scale(VAS). Changes in the Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities(K-WOMAC) index score were compared at the initiation and completion of the study. VAS assessed by patients were significantly reduced(at visit 2; $54.64{\pm}14.72$, at visit 4, $37.32{\pm}16.58$, p<0.001) after AIF administration. Results showed an improvement in the physical function of K-WOMAC scale which was significantly higher(p=0.013) in AIF than placebo group, and decreases of total K-WOMAC score were also significantly higher(p=0.030) in AIF groups than placebo group. No serious adverse effect was observed, and there was no difference in incidence of adverse effect between AIF and placebo groups. In this population of Korean patients with knee osteoarthritis, AIF was found to be safe, tolerable and effective for symptomatic improvement of pain and physical function.

• PNF and Movement
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.51-61
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to review articles related to PNF and easily provide information to readers who have difficulty reading papers or using PNF in clinics without a background in statistical knowledge. Methods: We used PubMed to collect papers on international studies and we conducted a search on April 28, 2014. Keywords used for the PubMed search were "PNF" and "Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation". The search results identified 765 papers that had been published since 1954. To target the papers for review, we selected 66 papers, excluding papers that were not published in online journals and papers that were written in a second language. Results: The reviewed papers consisted of studies that addressed basic principles and procedures, combined with other interventions, including PNF stretching concepts, and other diseases with PNF concepts. The articles related to basic procedures and principles reported on optimal contraction intensity, patterns, and irradiation. The articles related to stretching and strengthening reported on stretching the hamstring muscles in healthy subjects, in combination with other interventions such as neuromobilization, clinical massage, kinesio taping, and water immersion. The articles related to specific diseases reported on stroke, low back pain, athletic injury, total knee replacement, etc. Conclusion: In the 66 articles reviewed for this study, there was little evidence that PNF has therapeutic value. However, in future research on the application of PNF, investigators could conduct a more in-depth analysis of this topic and present more objective and useful information on the therapeutic benefits of PNF.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.69-82
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• 2004

Objectives : In the present study, the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) applied to hand yang meridian on the ankle sprain model was examined. Methods & Results : A common source of persistent pain in humans is the lateral ankle sprain. To model this condition, the rat's right ankle was bent repeatedly, overextending lateral ligaments, for 4 min under halothane anesthesia. The rat subsequently showed swelling of the ankle and a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for the next several days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful ankle. EA was applied to the several acupuncture point on the contralateral forelimb for 30 min under gaseous anesthesia. After the termination of EA, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 4 h. EA applied to SI-6 point produced a significant improvement of stepping force of the sprained foot lasting for at least 2 h. However, neigher LI-4 point nor TE-3 point produced any significant increase of weight bearing force. The improvement of stepping pressure was interpreted as an analgesic effect. The analgesic effect was specific to the acupuncture point since the analgesic effect on the ankle sprain pain model could not be mimicked by EA applied to a nearby point, LI-4 or TE-3. The analgesic effect of EA applied to SI-6 was more powerful when EA was applied by low-frequency and high-intensity stimulation. In addition, this effect need to be stimulated more than 15 min. Conclusions : These data suggest that EA produces a potent analgesic effect on the ankle sprain pain model in the rat. This analgesic effect is produced by applying EA to a Tae-Yang meridian at opposite side from the painful area in a stimulus point-specific way.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.107-114
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• 2001

Oral malodor is a problem that traverses history, culture, race and sex. But, up to the present the study on prevalence of oral malodor in normal popualtion is short, especially there is no study on oral malodor prevalence in Korean. In our study, we investigated self-evaluation of oral malodor, self-rating intensity of oral malodor, patients efforts for curing their oral malodor, and degree of satisfaction with their efforts. Investigation was carried out on 368 public Koreans resident in a big city(174 males, 194 females), by method of self-reporting to prepared questionnaire. There was no difference in self-reporting prevalence of oral malodor in sexes(57.5% in male, 58.8% in female), and the prevalence rate was increased with aging. Self-rating intensity of oral malodor in oral malodor patients group(by self-reporting) was ranked in order of slight, weak, middle, strong in both sexes, but the number of self-rating strong female group is significantly larger than that of self-rating strong male group(9.3% in male, 17.9% in female). In question on duration of oral malodor, most subjects answered that their oral malodor was developed in certain circumstances(61.3% in male, 76.3% in female), and oral malodor-developing circumstances was ranked in order of in the early morning, in hunger state, in fatigue, in stressful situations. Subjects effort for curing their oral malodor was ranked in order of more tooth brushing, gum chewing, use of commercial product for oral hygiene, visit dental clinic, and rates of no effort subjects were 15.3% in males and 10.7% in females. The degree of satisfaction with their efforts for curing their oral malodor was very low, only 5.6% of males and 6.6% of females were answered that there were satisfactory improvement in their oral malodor. Collectively, our result revealed that prevalence of oral malodor in public Koreans and their interest in oral malodor were much higher than our anticipation, and that patients satisfaction with improvement in oral malodor was short of their expectations. Considering the life quality of patients suffering from oral malodor, we conclude that developments of more improved diagnostic tools and treatment methods for oral malodor is indispensable in future.

• 대한골관절종양학회지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.29-34
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• 1999

Chondroblastoma is an uncommon neoplasm in bone, occurring at the epiphysis or apophysis of growing long bones and is known to have a recurrence rate of around 10% after surgical treatment. We reviewed 14 patients of pathologically proven chondroblastoma, who were surgically treated, from December 1987 to August 1997. The location of tumors was proximal femur in 4 cases, distal femur in 4 cases, proximal tibia in 2 cases, patella in 1 case, proximal humerus in 1 case and calcaneus in 1 case. The most common complaint was pain. In all nine cases in which MRI was performed, the MR imaging showed a lobulated low signal intensity(SI) rim. Low SI foci within the tumor were present in 4 of 9 cases and corresponded to calcification seen on radiographs or CT. Bone marrow edema was also present in 4 of 9 cases on MR imaging. The average duration of follow-up was 2 years, 5 months, ranging from 1 year to 7 years, 2 months. Twelve patients were treated by curettage and autogenous bone graft, one by curettage only, and one by curettage and bone cementing. Two cases which showed local recurrence were treated with curettage and bone graft. Two recurred cases had the presence of bone marrow edema on MR imaging. The presence or absence of bone marrow edema may be a useful indication of tumor activity, although further study will be required.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.186-190
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• 2015

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a demyelinating and inflammatory condition of the central nervous system, occurring predominantly in white matter. ADEM involving the rhombencephalon without affecting the white matter is very rare. Here, we present an unusual case of ADEM involving only the rhombencephalon in a 4-year-old Asian girl. The patient complained of pain in the right lower extremities, general weakness, ataxia, and dysarthria. The initial brain CT showed subtle ill-defined low-density lesions in the pons and medulla. On brain MRI, T2 high signal intensity (T2-HSI) lesions with mild swelling were present in the pons, both middle cerebellar peduncles, and the anterior medulla. The initial diagnosis was viral encephalitis involving the rhombencephalon. Curiously, a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) study revealed no cellularity, and negative viral marker findings. Three weeks later, follow up brain MRI showed that the extent of the T2-HSI lesions in the brain stem had decreased. After reinvestigation, it was found that she had a prior history of upper respiratory infection. In this case, we report the very rare case of a patient showing isolated involvement of the rhombencephalon in ADEM, mimicking viral rhombencephalitis on CT and MR imaging. ADEM can involve unusual sites such as the rhombencephalon in isolation, without involvement of the white matter or deep gray matter and, therefore, should be considered even when it appears in unusual anatomical areas. Thorough history taking is important for making a correct diagnosis.

• 한국엔터테인먼트산업학회논문지
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• 제13권8호
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• pp.635-645
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• 2019

비특이적 만성 목통증은 흔한 질환이며, 흔히 통증, 피로감, 관절가동범위 및 손기능의 감소를 동반한다. 만성 목통증에 의한 증상을 중재하기 위하여 다양한 약물 중재가 사용되고 있지만, 부작용이 적고 적용이 용이한 운동중재 및 대체의학 중재가 요구되고 있다. 본 연구는 비특이적 만성 목통증 노인환자의 라이프케어를 위하여 소금팩과 목운동이 통증, 관절가동범위와 손기능과 같은 운동기능에 미치는 효과를 규명하였다. 16명의 비특이적 만성 목통증 노인환자가 동원되었고, 중재군(8명)과 대조군(8명)으로 무작위 배정되었다. 모든 대상자는 1주일간 30분(일), 5회(주)의 자가 목운동을 수행하였고, 중재군의 대상자는 회당 20분 소금온열팩 중재를 추가적으로 받았다. Visual analogue scale (VAS)와 algometer를 이용한 pain pressure threshold (PPT) 측정을 통해 통증을 평가하였다. 어깨와 손 기능을 평가하기 위하여 어깨 관절의 가동범위 및 악력을 측정하였다. 모든 결과 측정에서 중재군은 유의한 개선을 보였으며(p<.05), 반면 대조군의 피험자는 중재 후 유의한 변화를 보이지 않았다(p>.05). 또한, 중재군은 사후 측정에서 대조군에 비교하여 VAS와 PPT에서 유의한 차이를 나타냈다(p<.05). 따라서 우리의 결과는 소금팩과 목운동이 만성 목통증 노인환자의 통증, 관절가동범위 그리고 손기능 개선에 효과적임을 증명하였다. 또한 소금팩은 목운동의 효과를 증가시키는 중재가 될 수 있음을 확인하였다.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.14-20
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• 2024

Objectives: Frozen shoulder (FS) is one of the most challenging shoulder disorders for patients and clinicians. Its symptoms mainly include any combination of stiffness, nocturnal pain, and limitation of active and passive glenohumeral joint movement. Conventional treatment options for FS are physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, injection therapy, and arthroscopic capsular release, but adverse and limited effects continue to present problems. As a result, pharmacoacupuncture (PA) is getting attention as an alternative therapy for patients with FS. PA is a new form of acupuncture treatment in traditional Korean medicine (TKM) that is mainly used for musculoskeletal diseases. It has similarity and specificity compared to corticosteroid injection and hydrodilatation, making it a potential alternative injection therapy for FS. However, no systematic reviews investigating the utilization of PA for FS have been published. Therefore, this review aims to standardize the clinical use of PA for FS and validate its therapeutic effect. Methods: The protocol was registered in Prospero (CRD42023445708) on 18 July 2023. Until Aug. 31, 2023, seven electronic databases will be searched for randomized controlled trials of PA for FS. Authors will be contacted, and manual searches will also be performed. Two reviewers will independently screen and collect data from retrieved articles according to predefined criteria. The primary outcome will be pain intensity, and secondary outcomes will be effective rate, Constant-Murley Score, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, range of motion, quality of life, and adverse events. Bias and quality of the included trials will be assessed using the Cochrane handbook's risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. Meta analyses will be conducted using Review Manager V.5.3 software. GRADE will be used to evaluate the level of evidence for each outcome. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted following PRISMA statement. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Conclusion: This review will provide scientific evidence to support health insurance policy as well as the standardization of PA in clinical practice.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.150-154
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• 2020

We present a case of osteoradionecrosis treated with leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (LPRF) and surgery and followed up with clinical and tomographic investigations. A 65-year-old woman presented with pain in the posterior region of the right palate. Her medical history included cardiovascular disease and squamous cell carcinoma in the anterior region of the floor of the mouth that had been treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Measurements of isodose curves showed a full dosage of 6,462.6 cGy in the anterior mandibular region, whereas that in the posterior region on the right side of the maxilla reached 5,708.1 cGy. Osteotomy was performed using rotary instruments, and debridement and placement of two LPRF membranes were also carried out. New gum tissue with no bone exposure was noted 14 days postoperatively. Tissue repair was complete, and the patient had no further complaints. During a 39-month follow-up period, the oral mucosa remained intact, and the patient was rehabilitated with a new upper denture. Since there is no consensus regarding the best protocol to treat osteoradionecrosis, LPRF might be an interesting adjuvant to a surgical approach. The use of LPRF is simple and reduces operational costs, time of handling, probability of technical failure, and associated morbidities for patients with osteoradionecrosis.