• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1066-1077
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of herbal medicine on blood glucose in diabetic patients. Methods: The subjects were patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) who had been admitted to Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital for more than 8 weeks for a primary diagnosis other than DM and who had taken herbal medicine for more than 8 weeks from January 2010 to February 2020. The medical records were analyzed retrospectively to confirm the characteristics of the subjects, and examination results included hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine. Changes in HbA1c before and after taking herbal medicine and changes according to subgroups were analyzed. Results: A total of 149 subjects with type 2 DM were selected as participants. After taking the herbal medicine, the HbA1c value was significantly decreased, and the statistical significance was maintained even when the effect of controlling antidiabetic agents was excluded. The decrease in HbA1c was higher in the poor glycemic control group. Liver and kidney functions did not show any significant changes after taking the herbal medicine. Conclusions: Administration of herbal medicine for a long period of 8 weeks or longer did not increase HbA1c in patients with DM complicated by other various diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.33
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• pp.71-78
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• 2021

Purpose: To evaluate the inter-fractional position and respiratory reproducibility of lung and liver tumors using pressure conserving type(P-type) abdominal compressor in volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT). Materials and methods: Six lung cancer patients and three liver cancer patients who underwent VMAT using a P-type abdominal compressor were included in this study. Cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT) images were acquired before each treatment and compared with planning CT images to evaluate the inter-fractional position reproducibility. The position variation was defined as the difference of position shift values between target matching and bone matching. 4-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography(4D CBCT) images were acquired weekly before treatment and compared with planning 4DCT images to evaluate the inter-fractional respiratory reproducibility. The respiratory variation was calculated by the magnitude of excursions by breathing. Results: The mean ± standard deviation(SD) of overall position variation values, 3D vector in the three translational directions were 1.1 ± 1.4 mm and 4.5 ± 2.8 mm for the lung and liver, respectively. The mean ± SD of respiratory variation values were 0.7 ± 3.4 mm (p = 0.195) in the lung and 3.6 ± 2.6 mm (p < 0.05) in the liver. Conclusion: The use of P-type compressor in lung and liver VMAT was effective for stable control of inter-fractional position and respiratory variation by reproduction of abdominal compression. Appropriate PTV margin must be considered in treatment planning, and image guidance before each treatment are required in order to obtain more stable reproducibility

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2012

Background: The epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) has been assessed based on the data of the analysis of TB patients notified to the surveillance system in Korea. However, the national status of TB is not validated through this surveillance system. The objective is to determine the epidemiology of TB and to understand the accurate status of TB patients treated in private institutions. Methods: Medical records of 53,579 patients who had been diagnosed with TB in 2008 were analyzed. Results: Among 53,579 patients, the number of sputum smear positive cases was 15,639(29.2%) and the number of new cases was 39,191 (73.1%). The drug resistance rate of new cases was 5.3%, while the rate stood at 13.3% for TB patients with treatment history. The number of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients was 2,472 (4.6%), which consists of 2.9% of new cases and 9.3% of TB patients with prior treatment history. The number of extensively drug-resistant TB patients was 749 (1.4%), consisting of 1.1% of new cases and 2.2% of TB patients with prior treatment history. In terms of treatment outcomes, 66.4% of all TB patients, 70.5% of new cases, 64.4% of relapse cases, and 46.8% of MDR-TB cases were cured or completed. It was inferred that in 2008, the total number of TB patients reached 70,767, 145.6 per 100,000 people (95% confidence interval, 145.5~145.7). Conclusion: We conclude that the medical records review of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) data can be very effective in promoting the understanding of the current status of TB in private institutions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1170-1176
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• 2009

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has plagued pig populations worldwide causing severe economical impacts. In order to establish effective strategies for prevention of PRRS, infection patterns on the herd level are primarily evaluated. In the present study, therefore, serological and virological analyses were conducted in 20 pig farms suffering from PRRS. Seroprevalence levels in each farm were grouped into 3 patterns: SN (Stable sow groups/Not infected piglet groups, SI (Stable sow groups and Infected piglet groups), and UI (Unstable sow groups and Infected piglet groups). The rates of each serological pattern were 15% (n=3), 10% (n=2), and 75% (n=15), respectively. In addition, the pattern analysis was extended to virological monitoring on the same farms that further included suckling pig groups. As a result, the infection pattern was classified into 4 categories: SNI (Stable sow groups/Not infected suckler groups/Infected piglet groups), SII (Stable sow groups/Infected suckler groups/Infected piglet groups), UNI (Unstable sow groups/Not infected suckler groups/Infected piglet groups), and UII (Unstable sow groups/Infected suckler groups/Infected piglet groups). The rates of each viroprevalence were estimated at 50% (n=10), 30% (n=6), 10% (n=2), and 10% (n=2), respectively. PRRSV viroprevalence results of suckling pig groups revealed that 8 farms were considered virus positive. In 2 farms among these farms, PRRSV appeared to be transmitted vertically to suckling piglets from their sows. In contrast, piglet-to-piglet horizontal transmission of PRRSV seemed to occur in sucking herds of the remaining farms. Thus, this virological analysis on suckling piglets will provide useful information to understand PRRSV transmission routes during the suckling period and to improve a PRRS control programs. Our seroprevalence and viroprevalence data found that infection patterns between sow and piglet groups are not always coincident in the same farm. Remarkably, 15 farms belonging to the UI seroprevalence pattern showed four distinct viroprevalence patterns (SNI; 7, SII; 4, UNI; 2 and UII; 2). Among these farms, 11 farms with unstable seroprevalence sow groups were further identified as the stable viroprevalence pattern. These results indicated that despite the absence of typical seroconversion, PRRSV infection was detected in several farms, implying the limitation of serological analysis. Taken together, our data strongly suggests that both seroprevalence and viroprevalence should be determined in parallel so that a PRRS control strategies can be efficiently developed on a farm level.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2006

Purpose : We hypothesized that mannose binding lectin gene(MBL2), a key molecule of innate immunity, may contirbute to the development and the outcome of respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) disease in early childhood. This study was performed to investigate the genetic basis of polymorphisms and haplotypes of MBL2 for RSV disease severity in Korean children. Methods : Cases with severe RSV diseases are 99 children with severe RSV lower respiratory tract infections, who were admitted to the Seoul National University Children's Hospital through 1993~2000. The control subjects consisted of 224 anonymous healthy Korean blood donors. The frequency of promoter variant(-221, X/Y) and structural variant(codon 54) were compared between the case patient group and the control subject group. Results : The mean age of patients was 11.8 months; 49% were <6 months, 39% were 6-24 months and 12% were >24 months. In the cohort of cases of severe RSV diseases, the genotypic frequencies of structural variant in codon 54 were 61% for AA, 34% for AB, and 5% for BB. Those of the promoter X/Y variant were 85% for YY and 15% for XY. There were no significant differences in overall distribution of both structural and promoter variants between the cases and the control subjects. We did not observe statistical difference in the haplotypic frequencies of MBL2. Conclusion : Common variants of MBL2 gene most likely do not contribute to the risk for severe RSV diseases in Korean children. Further genetic association studies should be conducted in a larger propsectively recruited cohort of children with RSV infection.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 1995

During sleep, relatively major respiratory physiological changes occur in healthy subjects. The contributions and interactions of voluntary and metabolic breathing control systems during waking and sleep are quite different Alterations of ventilatory control occur in chemosensitivity, response to mechanical loads, and stability of ventilation. The activities of intercostal muscles and muscles involved in regulating upper airway size are decreased during sleep. These respiratory physiological changes during sleep compromise the nocturnal ventilatory function, and sleep is an important physiological cause of the nocturnal alveolar hypoventilation. There are several causes of chronic alveolar hypoventilation including cardiopulmonary, neuromuscular diseases. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is an important cause of nocturnal hypoventilation and hypoxia. Coexistent cardiopulmonary or neuromuscular disease in patients with OSAS contributes to the development of diurnal alveolar hypoventilation, diurnal hypoxia and hypercapnia. The existing data indicates that nocturnal recurrent hypoxia and fragmentation of sleep in patients with OSAS contributes to the development of systemic hypertension and cardiac bradytachyarrhythmia, and diurnal pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale in patients with OSAS is usually present in patients with coexisting cardiac or pulmonary disease. Recent studies reported that untreated patients with OSAS had high long-term mortality rates, cardiovascular complications of OSAS had a major effect on mortality, and effective management of OSAS significantly decreased mortality.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.12-24
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• 2008

Background and Objective : Chungsangboha-tang (CSBHT) has analgesic, sedative, anti-convulsive and anti-histamine effects, so it alleviates the symptoms of asthma. For the comparison of anti-inflammatory effect(s) on CSBHT, PD098059 was used as a negative control. Materials and Methods : This study emphasized THP-1 cells, which had been well characterized as a human monocytic leukemic cell line. The cells resemble monocytes with respect to several criteria and can be differentiated into macrophage-like cells by treatment with PMA. By using the MTS assay, it was possible to prove the safety of CSBHT. Results : Results shows that the CSBHT did not affected cell survival within $10^{1}$ ng/ml to $10^{5}$ ng/ml. Especially, $10^{5}$ ng/ml CSBHT treated cells show 70% deduction of $TNF-{\alpha}$ gene expression against that of LPS treated group. Furthermore, $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels are down-regulated when treated with CSBHT with concentrations up to 100 ug/ml on monocyte-derived macrophages. Interestingly, CSBHT-treated samples showed that overall transcriptional activities were down-regulated to 20% of that of PD098059 ($TNF-{\alpha}$ inhibitor). At protein level, the expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$ showed similar results as that of transcriptional activity. Results show that the protein level decreased more in the CSBHT-treated group (487 ${\pm}$ 87 pg/ml) than in the LPS-treated group (703 ${\pm}$ 103 pg/ml). In addition, the protein level of IL-8 in the CSBHT treated-group (9.84 ${\pm}$ 3.28 ng/ml) decreased similar as the expression of the control and PD098059-treated groups. Conclusion : CSBHT affects immune response, especially allergic responses and suppression of inflammatory reaction. The results provide us an alternative way to care for clinical inflammatory diseases, not only asthma but also the other possible general inflammatory and allergic diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.235-243
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• 1995

A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the effects, and side effects, of epidural analgesia for postoperative pain relief of 2,381 surgical patients who received general-epidural, or epidural anesthesia only. Anesthesia records, patients charts, and pain control records were reviewed and classified according to: age, sex, body weight, department, operation site, epidural puncture site, degree of pain relief by injection mode & epidural injectate, and side effects(including nausea, vomiting, pruritus, urinary retention and respiratory depression). The results were as follows: 1) From the total of 2,381 patients, there were 1,563(66%) female patients; 1.032(43%) patients were from Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2) Lower abdomen, thorax, lower extremity and upper abdomen in the operation site; and lumbar, upper, lower thoracic in puncture site were order of decreasing frequency. Length of epidural injection for pain relief averaged $1.72{\pm}1.02$ days. 3) Ninety three percent of the patients experienced mild or no pain in the postoperative course. Analgesic quality was not affected by the kind of epidural injectate. 4) Nausea occurred in 3.2% of all patients, vomiting in 1.1%, pruritus 0.9%, urinary retention 0.6%, respiratory depression 0.08%. 5) Frequency of nausea was higher with female patients compared to male patients(p<0.05). 6) Pruritus frequency was higher with male patients than female patients(p<0.05); and more frequent with patients who received epidural injection with morphine than patients who received epidural injection without morphine(p<0.01). 7) Urinary retention was higher in female patients, and more frequent with patients who had received epidural injection with morphine than epidural injection without morphine(p<0.05). 8) There were two cases of respiratory depression. The course of treatment consisted of: cessation of epidural infusion, then administration of oxygen and intravenous naloxone. We conclude that postoperative epidural analgesia with a combination of local anesthetics and opiate is and effective method for postoperative pain relief with low incidence of side effects. However, patients should be carefully evaluated as rare but severe complications of respiratory depression may ensue.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.361-369
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• 2003

Background : In Korea, the effort to control the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has succeeded, but we have to maintain vigilance against SARS and other infectious diseases, because many experts warn that SARS may return or that other infectious agents could spread globally. The purpose of this study is to describe the degree of knowledge of hospital employees, assuming full responsibility for treating and attending to SARS suspected case, and to elucidate the attitude to SARS using questionnaires. Method : All employees of Kangwon university hospital were eligible for this study. We used validated questionnaires to survey demographic characteristics, the degree of knowledge of SARS, intention of treating and attending suspected cases, influence and effects of SARS on the community, and acquisition of information about SARS. Result : Based on the 251 completed surveys, out of 280 returned the score for knowledge about SARS was $72.0{\pm}13.7$, 50.6% responded positively about joining a SARS team, and 23.1% were opposed to the designation for quarantining. There was no relationship between the degree of knowledge of SARS and the attitudes to it. Most employees wanted to know how to manage SARS patients and how to prevent SARS. Conclusion : The attitudes to SARS were not affected by the level of knowledge of SARS. We suggest that national policies about SARS and other infectious diseases should be promulgated using the mass media and internet to provide information on rapidly spreading infectious agents, especially about the proper protocol for treating suspected cases and the appropriate steps to prevent or reduce the risk.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.577-585
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• 2014

The cosmetic and stimulating effects of lemon oil have been widely proven in the fields of beauty therapy and psychology therapy. But the lemon oil's proper effects on the anti asthma and the anti inflammation have not rarely been verified. This study was conducted to find out the lemon oil's effects on the anti asthma and anti inflammation in the OVA-induced allergic asthma mice model. OVA-induced allergic asthma mice were divided into 4 groups consisting of normal group, control group, positive control group and experimental group. 0.3% of lemon oil was nebulized to experimental group for 3 weeks on a basis of 3 times per week and 30 min each time. After 6 weeks from the initial experiment, the degree of hyper activeness of respiratory system, the hematological change, the amount of the cytokein in serum, the change of airway organization were evaluated. The results showed that lemon oil controled effectively the hyper activeness of respiratory system and restricted the multiplication of cells in acidophil in terms of statistical significance. It also turned out that lemon oil restricted effectively the infection of airway reaction and the hyper sensitiveness of respiratory system by controlling the creation of histamine(cytokein) and IgE.