• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.227-229
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• 2017

Fibrosis of skeletal muscle following acupuncture is an iatrogenic disorder. The present case illustrates a patient with a unilateral fibrotic formation on a thumb muscle after acupuncture injection therapy with red sage. The patient in the present case was a counter-terrorism police officer with right-handedness; he noted a palpable nodule three months after injection therapy at his left first dorsal interosseous in which the acupuncture point LI4 (He Gu) is located. He also found a reduction in the strength of his left pinch grip that noticeably affected his left handgun marksmanship. However, being ambidextrous in single-hand pistol shooting is an essential requirement for counter-terrorism police officers. Based on the patient's medical history and claims, no underlying disease or trauma was found to be associated with his current complaint. During physical examination, a fibrotic formation in his left first dorsal interosseous muscle was visualized by using diagnostic ultrasound; also, as confirmed with dynamometry, the strength of his left pinch grip was significantly lower than that of the right counterpart. Because acupuncture injection therapy has three components, antiseptic practices, the mechanical action of syringe insertion, and the pharmacological effect of the sterile herb extract, any one of the components may have contributed to the present adverse event. The first dorsal interosseous muscle is small in dimension and rather vascular; thus, it is not an ideal site for intramuscular injection. When a clinician needs to treat a patient by performing acupuncture at the LI4 acupoint and injecting a herbal extract simultaneously, the clinician should only mechanically stimulate the LI4 acupoint while injecting the herbal medicine into the LI14 (Bi Noe) acupoint on the same meridian, the LI14 acupoint being located in the distal portion of the deltoid muscle and being fairly close to the universally agreed upon site on the upper arm for safe administration of an injection.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.265-274
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• 2018

Objectives: A positive association between air pollution and both the incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been reported in some epidemiologic and animal studies, but little research has evaluated the relationship between air pollution and diabetic coma. Diabetic coma is an acute complication of DM caused by diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, which is characterized by extreme hyperglycemia accompanied by coma. We conducted a time-series study with a generalized additive model using a distributed-lag non-linear model to assess the association between ambient air pollution (particulate matter less than $10{\mu}m$ in aerodynamic diameter, nitrogen dioxide [$NO_2$], sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone) and emergency department (ED) visits for DM with coma in Seoul, Korea from 2005 to 2009. Methods: The ED data and medical records from the 3 years previous to each diabetic coma event were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to examine the relationship with air pollutants. Results: Overall, the adjusted relative risks (RRs) for an interquartile range (IQR) increment of $NO_2$ was statistically significant at lag 1 (RR, 1.125; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.039 to 1.219) in a single-lag model and both lag 0-1 (RR, 1.120; 95% CI, 1.028 to 1.219) and lag 0-3 (RR, 1.092; 95% CI, 1.005 to 1.186) in a cumulative-lag model. In a subgroup analysis, significant positive RRs were found for females for per-IQR increments of $NO_2$ at cumulative lag 0-3 (RR, 1.149; 95% CI, 1.022 to 1.291). Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that ambient air pollution, specifically $NO_2$, is associated with ED visits for diabetic coma.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.271-282
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• 2022

Seismic resisting self-centering bridge piers with high energy dissipation and negligible residual displacement after an earthquake event are focus topics of current structural engineering. The energy dissipation components of typical bridge piers are often relatively single; and exhibit a certain level of damage under earthquakes, leading to large residual displacements and low cumulative energy dissipation. In this paper, a novel socket self-centering bridge pier with a hybrid energy dissipation system is proposed. The seismic resilience of bridge piers can be improved through the rational design of annular grooves and rubber cushions. The seismic response was evaluated through the finite element method. The effects of rubber cushion thickness, annular groove depth, axial compression ratio, and lateral strength contribution ratio of rubber cushion on the seismic behavior of bridge piers are systematically studied. The results show that the annular groove depth has the greatest influence on the seismic performance of the bridge pier. Especially, the lateral strength contribution ratio of the rubber cushion mainly depends on the depth of the annular groove. The axial compression ratio has a significant effect on the ultimate bearing capacity. Finally, the seismic design method is proposed according to the influence of the above research parameters on the seismic performance of bridge piers, and the method is validated by an example. It is suggested that the range of lateral strength contribution ratio of rubber cushion is 0.028 ~ 0.053.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.265-271
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• 1997

Objective : A 4-week, single-blind, parallel group study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tofisopam and lorazepam in 32 outpatients with anxiety disorder. Methods : Patients were randomized to receive either tofisopam(N=17) or lorazepam(N=15). The starting dose of tofisopam was 50mg t.i.d. daily, which could be increased to a maximum of 100mg t.i.d. according to the patient's clinical response and side effect. The starting dose of lorazepam was 0.75mg b.i.d. daily, which could be increased to a maximum of 1.5mg b.i.d. depending on the patient's clinical response and side effect. Efficacy evaluations at baseline, week 1, 2, and 4 used the 14-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety(HAM-A) and Clinical Global Impression(CGI). Tolerability was assessed by response to a nonleading question concerning adverse events. Laboratory parameters including vital sign, EKG, hematological, and biochemical values were measured during trial. Results : No significant differences between HAM-A total scores, two HAM-A factors(psychic, somatic) and CGI severity scores were recorded at any point during tofisopam and lorazepam treatments. However, in each group there was a significant decrease in HAM-A total scores, two HAM-A factor s(psychic, somatic), CGI severity scores over time. The pecentages of patients with tofisopam who at least minimally improved increased from 64.7% at week 1 to 94.1% at week 4. The pecentages of patients with lorazepam who at least minimally improved increased from 40.0% at week 1 to 66.7% at week 4. The pecentages of patients with tofisopam who had not any adverse event increased from 58.8% at week 1 to 87.9% at week 4. The pecentages of patients with lorazepam who had not any adverse event were not changed from 46.7% at week 1 to 46.7% at week 4. Laboratory parameters including vital sign, EKG, hematological, and biochemical values showed no significant changes during the trial in both groups. Conclusion : These data suggest that tofisopam may be effective in reducing anxiety and is a anti-anxiety drug of identical potency with lorazepam. Tolerability of tofisopam was superior to lorazepam. These findings should be confirmed by using double-blind crossover study with a large member of patients.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.178-187
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• 2005

A reliability analysis model f3r studying the influence of joint distribution of wave heights and periods on wave un-up is presented in this paper. From the definition of failure mode related to wave run-up, a reliability function may be formulated which can be considered uncertainties of water level. In particular, the reliability analysis model can be directly taken into account statistical properties and distributions of wave periods by considering wave period in the reliability function to be a random variable. Also, variations of wave height distribution conditioned to mean wave periods can be taken into account correctly. By comparison of results of additional reliability analysis using extreme distributions with those resulted from joint distribution of wave height and periods, it is found that probabilities of failure evaluated by the latter is larger than those by the former. Although the freeboard of sloped-breakwater structures can be determined by extreme distribution based on the long-term measurements, it may be necessary to investigate additionally into wave run-up by using the present reliability analysis model formulated to consider joint distribution of a single storm event. In addition, it may be found that the effect of spectral bandwidth parameter on reliability index may be little, but the effect of wave height distribution conditioned to mean wave periods is straightforward. Therefore, it may be confirmed that effects of wave periods on the probability of failure of wave run-up may be taken into account through the conditional distribution of wave heights. Finally, the probabilities of failure with respect to freeboard of sloped-breakwater structures can be estimated by which the rational determination of crest level of sloped-breakwater structures may be possible.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.441-450
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• 2005

The organic material is one of the most popular material for the satellites and the spacecrafts in order to perform the thermal management, and to protect direct exposure from the space environment. The present paper observes material property changes of organic material under the space environment by using ground facilities. One of the representative organic thermal management material of satellites, 2 mil ITO(Indium Tin Oxide) coated aluminized KAPTON was selected for experiments. In order to investigate the single parametric effect of protons in space environment, MC-50 cyclotron system in KIRAMS(Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Science) was utilized for the ion beam irradiation of protons and ion beam dose was set to the Very Large August 1972 EVENT model, the highest protons occurrence near the earth orbit in history. The energy of ion beam is fixed to 30MeV(mesa electron volt), observed average energy, and the equivalent irradiance time conditions were set to 1-year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year exposure in space. The procedure of analyses includes the measurement of the ultimate tensile strength for the assessment of quantitative degradation in material properties, and the imaging analyses of crystalline transformation and damages on the exposed surface by FE-SEM(Field Emission Scanning Electron Spectroscopy) etc.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2011

Chloroplast genetic engineering of higher plants offers several unique advantages compared with nuclear genome transformation, such as high levels of transgene expression, a lack of position effect due to site-specific transgene integration by homologous recombination, multigene engineering in a single transformation event and reducing risks of gene flow via pollen due to maternal inheritance. We established a reproducible chloroplast transformation system of potato using a tobacco specific plastid transformation vector, pCtVG (trnI-Prrn-aadA-mgfp-TpsbA-trnA). Stable transgene integration into chloroplast genomes and the homoplasmic state of the transgenome were confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analyses. Northern, immunoblot analysis, and GFP fluorescence imaging revealed high expression and accumulation of GFP in the plastids of potato leaves. This system would provide new opportunities for genetic improvement and mass production of value added foreign proteins in this crop.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 1986

Prevention of thrombombolism after rosthetic cardiac valve replacement is essential for the patients. About 90% of patients are free of major and minor thromboembolic complications 5 year after replacement of cardiac valves with prosthetic devices when they are under control of anticoagulant therapy. Ticlopidine is a drug that alter platelet function to have an antithrombotic effect. It is an antiaggregating agent which inhibits primary platelet function to have an antithrombotic effect. It is an antiaggregating agent which inhibits primary platelet aggregation induced by ADP and increases the production of prostaglandin $D_{2}$. Aspirin in small doses inhibits platelet synthesis of prostaglandins by irreversibly blocking the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase. Platelet secretion and aggregation are impaired with Ticlopidine and Aspirin. the thromboembolic event sof 54 patient s who were treated with Ticlopidine and Aspirin after cardiac valve replacement were evaluated and compared with that of 79 patients who were treated with Wafarin and Aspirin after the same type of operation. The follow-up period ranged from 4 to 110 months (mean of 48 months). there were 11 major thromboembolic episodes including three deaths in the warfarin goup during mean follow-up period of 56 months. two cases of CVA and one hemoarthrosis were noted due to overdose of Warfarin. Inticlopidine group, there was only one fatal thromboembolic epdisode three month after mitral valve replacement during mean follow-up period of 18 months. Two episodes of hypermenorrhea resulting anemia ere noted in the ticlopidine group. We measured the parameters of platelet function in aggreagation curve of platelet with platelet aggregometer (chrono-log Aggregometer, Model No. 430) Aggregation test was performed with three final concentrations of epinephrine in 10 uM/L, ADP in 5uM/L. 28 patients with prosthetic cardiac valves and 35 healthy volunteers were subgrouped as follows to analyze the effect of antithrombotic drugs used. Group I ; 11 patients treated with 250-500 mg of ticlopidine and 0.5gm of Aspirin as a daily single dose after cardiac valve replacement (14 St. Jude Medical and 1 Carpentier-Edwards, 9 patients with atrial fibrillation among them) Group II ; 10 patients treated with 3-5 mg of Warfarin and 0.75 gm of Aspirin daily to prolong prothrombin time around 20 seconds for more than 6 months and single Aspirin dose was maintained afterward as a life-long regimes(3 St. Jude Medical, 1 Hall-Kaster and 7 Carpentier-Edwards valve, 9 patients in atrial fibrilation). Group III ; 7 patients who quit anticoagulant treatment (Warfarin + Aspirin) 6-12 months after the regime as group II (3 St. Jude Medical. 1 bjork-Shiley, 1 Hall-Kaster, 3 Carpentier-Edwards valve, 2 of them are with atrial fibrillation). Group IV ; 35 healthy vounteers (28 males and 7 females). The following results were obtained. 1. The mean maximal platelet aggregability in Group I induced by 10uM/L epinephrine was 15.6%, and 17.5 and 18.7% in BM in proportion to the induction by 5 and 10 uM/L ADP. 2. The mean maximal platelet aggregability in Group II induced by 10uM/L epinephrine was 16.5%, and 27.4 and 44.7% in BM in proportion to the induction by 5 and 10uM/L ADP. 3. The mean maximal platelet aggregability in group III induced by 10uM/L epinephrine was 65%, and 56.5 and 51.8% in BM in proportion to the induction by 5 and 10 uM/L ADP. 4. The mean maximal platelet aggregability in the normal subjects induced by 10 uM/L epinephrine was 64%, and 65 and 69% in Bm inproportion to the induction by 5 and 10 uM/L ADP. 5. Reversible change of platelet aggregation curve induced by 5 and 10uM/L was noted all of the patients in Group I. conclusion : Ticlopidine is an antiaggregating agent which inhibits primary platelet aggregation induced by ADP, and increases the production of prostaglandin $D_{2}$. Ticlopidine and Aspirin produced a significant inhibition of platelet in the presence of ADP and epinephrine in our study. Acccording to our brief experience, 250 mg of ticlopidine and low dose of Aspirin resulted synergistic superior effect to each drug alone in prevention of thromboembolism after prosthetic cardiac valve replacement.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.729-733
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of D-ribose supplementation on the changes of blood fatigue substances (lactate, ammonia, phosphate and hypoxanthine) after maximal exercise performance in college male students. The experimental trials of each subject were divided into the following conditions: placebo supplement trial and D-ribose supplement trial. The subjects exercised using a Concept II Indoor rowing ergometer for 2,000 m Single Skull event. The subjects ingested 200 mg/kg of D-ribose after breakfast, lunch, dinner, as well as thirty minutes before exercising, for six days. Blood fatigue substances were continuously measured before exercise, immediately after exercise, and thirty minutes after exercise. The results indicated a significant difference in blood phosphate and hypoxanthine levels between the two experimental trials in the 30 minute recovery period (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in blood lactate and phosphate levels between the two experimental trials. The results of our study suggest that D-ribose supplementation during maximal rowing exercise for 7~8 minutes may contribute to the improvement of metabolic responses as a beneficial ergogenic aid accelerating fatigue clearance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.689-695
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• 2010

The effect of the code conversion process of Korean script (Hangul), also known as words for numbers, was investigated using event-related potentials (ERPs) during mental arithmetic operations. Study subjects were asked to determine whether the arithmetic results of a given target stimuli were correctly matched. Visual inspection and statistics of mean ERPs showed stimulus type-dependent processing rather than task-dependent processing. Results of addition and multiplication tasks revealed that the overall temporal profiles of the Arabic numerals were similar to the Hangul words for numbers. The only exception to this observation was a delayed positive-slope peak occurring around 300 ms, which was likely related to the encoding process of Hangul words for numbers to Arabic-digits, defined as a 'transcoding-related potential.' Source analysis confirmed that the topography of different waveforms for the two conditions was attributed to a single dipole located in the left temporo-parietal area; this area is known to be involved in Hangul words for number processing. These results suggest that the initial processing for encoding words for numbers was followed by arithmetic operations without direct access of internal number representation. Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society. The Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society. The Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society. The Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.