• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.154-160
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) using methylphenidate (MPH). Methods : Retrospective review of the charts of 79 children and adolescents with ASDs, who visited the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of Seoul National Hospital, from July 2010 to July 2011, was conducted. Changes in illness severity and improvement were measured using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity of illness (CGI-S) and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Scales. Results : We found that MPH was prescribed in 23 (29.1%) children and adolescents. Of the 23 patients on MPH, 4 patients (17.4%) were on MPH monotherapy and 18 patients (78.3%) were using risperidone concomitantly. MPH was prescribed primarily for symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity in ASDs patients. The mean dosage of MPH was $26.2{\pm}11.1$mg/day and mean duration of treatment was $31.9{\pm}28.7$ months. Mean CGI-S score improved significantly from baseline to endpoint (from $5.4{\pm}0.6$ to $4.1{\pm}0.9$ ; p<.01). MPH was reported to be effective in 17 patients (17/23, 73.9%), and 10 patients (10/23, 43.5%) reported side effects. Side effects included decreased appetite (4/23, 17.4%), tic (2/23, 8.6%), sleep disturbances (2/23, 8.6%), headache (1/23, 4.3%) and irritability (1/23, 4.3%). Conclusion : The results of this study demonstrate that MPH may be used effectively and safely in children and adolescents with ASDs with hyperactivity and impulsivity. Future controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prenatal, perinatal, and infancy history of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as compared to unaffected siblings (SIB) and typically developing children (TC). Methods: Subjects with ASD, their SIB, and TC were recruited. All subjects were assessed using both the Korean version of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (K-ADI-R) and the Korean version of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (K-ADOS) and were subsequently identified as affected or unaffected. Prenatal, perinatal, and infancy history was obtained from the primary caregivers and each facet was compared in those with ASD, the SIB, and the TC groups using SPSS ver. 17.0 (p<.05). Results: 70 individuals with ASD (63 males, 87.94${\pm}$37.8months), 53 SIB (27 males, 85.4087.94${\pm}$48.06 months), and 32 TC (19 males, 104.1987.94${\pm}$23.409 months) were analyzed. The ASD group showed significantly higher rates of insufficient vaccination as they aged age ($x^2$=15.54, p=.000). Among the scheduled vaccinations, the DPT vaccination ($x^2$=10.08, p=.006) was insufficient in ASD groups. The ASD group also showed higher rates of sleep disturbances from infancy. Differences in maternal/paternal age at conception, gestational age, and growth parameters at birth were not significantly difference among the three groups. Conclusion: These results do not support the previous controversies regarding the relationship between prenatal/perinatal complications and ASD. However, these results indicate that perinatal and prenatal factors may contribute to the development of ASD.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.79-98
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• 2007

Objectives : The study of Traditional Korean medical therapy has recently become a popular academic field as proven to be an great alternative to the limitation of Western medical treatment. However, there has been little study examining the Quality of life to investigate the Effectiveness of Recent Traditional Korean Medical Therapy on Treating Allergic Rhinitis. Thus, this study aims to reveal the characteristics of Allergic Rhinitis patients, their clinical symptoms, and other accompanying diseases. Moreover, it attempts to investigate the sense of improvement and satisfaction from the Allergic Rhinitis patients treated with Traditional Korean Medical therapy by examining Quality of Life Questionnaires. Subject and Method : A total of 380 subjects that consists of allergic rhinitis patients and non patients were participated in this study. 330 allergic rhinitis patients were divided into two groups; the experimental group (230 subjects) was treated with Traditional Korean Medical therapy, and the control group (100 subjects) was not treated with any other therapy. Also, the normal control group (50 subjects) who had no symptoms of the allergic rhinitis was participated in this study as well. All the subjects were asked to answer to the questionaries that consist of two parts such as recalling the symptoms that they had 3 month ago, and describing the current symptoms that they had the present. The experimental group also was asked to answer the quality of life questionnaire before and after the therapy. Results: The results of investigating recent Traditional Korean therapy are as follows: 1. The reservoir rate of other disease was 39.0% in the control group and 34.8% in the experimental group. These were higher than the rate of the normal control (10.0%), which reveals the clinical characteristics of allergic rhinitis patients. 2. The symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis showed improvement after Traditional Korean medical therapy, which can be shown by its statistical significance. (p=.000<.001). 3. 97.0% of the Allergic Rhinitis patients treated with the Korean Therapy answered the improvement of symptom within 4 weeks, and 88.3% of the patients were satisfied with the Traditional Korean medical therapy. 4. The Nasal symptoms had prominently positive effect at the most as the symptoms significantly affect sleep disturbances, ocular symptoms, activity limitation, and emotional problems.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.586-591
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• 2002

Bruxism can be generally regarded as a diurnal clenching or nocturnal teeth grinding or a combination of both. Clenching of the teeth is forceful closure of the opposing dentition in a static relationship of the mandible to the maxilla, whereas grinding of the dentition is forceful closure of the opposing dentition in a dynamic maxillo-mandibular relationship as the mandibular arch moves through various excursive positions. The causes of bruxism are not yet discovered clearly, but most consistently mentioned cause is psychological stress. Bruxism can be also associated with sleep disorders, medication, and disturbances of the central nervous system. There is no permanent treatment method of bruxism, so the objectives for management of bruxism are reduction of psychological stress and treatment of signs and symptoms of bruxism by occlusal adjustment, occlusal splint, systemic medication and physical therapy. These cases report present three cases of children with bruxism. The bruxism was reduced in these patients wearing occlusal splint.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.30.1-30.13
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• 2023

Background: Dysmenorrhea and menstrual cycle changes occur in women working shifts. Circadian rhythm disruption and sleep disturbances associated with shift work leads to health problems. We identified chronotypes and the occurrence of insomnia among newly employed university hospital nurses and investigated the association of these factors with menstrual problems. Methods: We conducted pre-placement health examinations for shift workers using self-reported questionnaires between 2018 and 2020. A total of 463 nurses were included in the study. Sociodemographic data, shift work experience, and information on insomnia were collected from health examination data. In addition, details regarding chronotype, dysmenorrhea, irregular and abnormal menstrual cycles, amenorrhea, and contraceptive use were obtained from the questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to study the association between chronotype, insomnia, and menstrual problems after controlling for age, body mass index, contraceptive use, amenorrhea, and prior shift work. Results: The prevalence rates of dysmenorrhea, irregular menstrual cycles, and longer menstrual cycles were 23.8%, 14.9%, and 4.1%, respectively. The risk of dysmenorrhea increased in the evening-type (odds ratio [OR]: 3.209; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.685-6.113) and those with insomnia (OR: 1.871; 95% CI: 1.074-3.261). Additionally, the risk of an irregular menstrual cycle (OR: 2.698; 95% CI: 1.167-6.237) increased in the evening-type, and the risk of a longer menstrual cycle (OR: 4.008; 95% CI: 1.354-11.864) increased in individuals with insomnia. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that dysmenorrhea is promoted in the evening-type and insomnia individuals. There may be an increased risk of irregular menstrual cycles among evening-type nurses and an increased risk of longer menstrual cycles among those with insomnia. Therefore, factors such as evening-type and insomnia should be considered for the prevention of menstrual problems in women performing shift work.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.229-239
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• 2005

Objectives : Allergic rhinitis is a prevalent disease. Nasal obstruction is one of the main symptom in allergic rhinitis. It induces sleep disturbances, depression, attention deficit, memory impairments. Acupuncture treatment for rhinitis was mentioned in literature, but there is not enough report that provide evidence by well designed clinical study. The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of acupuncture treatment for nasal obstruction of allergic rhinitis. Methods : In this randomized, single blind, placebo-controlled study, we compared active acupuncture with minimal acupuncture for the treatment of nasal obstruction owing to persistent allergic rhinitis. Acupoints used in active acupuncture group were I120($Y{\hat{o}}nghyang$), GV23($Sangs{\hat{o}}ng$), IL4(Hapkok). Volunteers who satisfied the requirements were enrolled in study. Total nasal volume(NV) and total nasal minimum cross-sectional area(MCA) were measured by acoustic rhinometry before and after treatments(0min, 7.5min, 15min). Results : 101 subjects finished study. There were not difference between two groups on age, sex, weight, height, blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, severity of persistent allergic rhinitis, number of positive antigen. After treatment(0min) total NV were significantly increased compared with before treatment in active acupuncture group(p=0.0007) and minimal acupuncture group(p=0.0175). After treatment(15min) total NV of minimal acupuncture group was decreased compared with before treatment(p=0.2560), but total NV of active acupuncture group was maintained increasing in degree of borderline significance(p=0.0871). After treatment(0min) total NV were significantly increased compared with before treatment in active acupuncture group(0.0007) and minimal acupuncture group(p=0.0175). After treatment(Omin) total MCA were significantly increased compared with before treatment in active acupuncture group(p<0.000l) and minimal acupuncture group(p=0.0005). After treatment(15min) total MCA of minimal acupuncture group was decreased compared with before treatment(p=0.6082), but total NV of active acupuncture group was maintained increasing in degree of borderline significance(p=0.0929). Conclusion : Acupuncture treatment reduced nasal obstruction in persistent allergic rhinitis. Further study in the form of long term is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2006

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine the developmental and clinical characteristics associated with nocturnal enuresis in Korean children. Methods : Three hundred eighteen children with nocturnal enuresis, together with their parents, completed a parent questionnaire consisting of a Child Behavior Checklist(CBCL). Data related to the prenatal, perinatal and developmental history, past and current medical history were collected. Ninety-three normal students were selected as the control group. Results : The nocturnal enuresis group attained diurnal and nocturnal urinary control significantly later than those in the normal control group.49.2% of the children with nocturnal enuresis had the family history of nocturnal enuresis. Daytime incontinence was present in 41.3% of the nocturnal enuresis group. The percentages of sleep-related disturbances were significantly higher in the nocturnal enuresis group when compared to the normal control group.42.6% of the children with nocturnal enuresis experienced pharmacotherapy, and 0.4% experienced enuresis alarms. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that children with nocturnal enuresis in Korea have a high genetic load and a possibility of developmental delay, which supports the neurodevelopmental point of view with regard to the etiology of nocturnal enuresis. The physicians in Korea prefer pharmacological interventions to alarm interventions in treating Korean children with nocturnal enuresis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.7
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• pp.790-800
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• 2017

As men get older, total testosterone levels decline gradually, and concentrations of free and bioavailable testosterone decline sharply with each decade beyond their 30s. Andropause or testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is defined as a decrease in sexual satisfaction or decline in general well-being accompanied by low levels of testosterone in older men. This male climacteric is characterized by nervousness, reduced potency, decreased libido, irritability, fatigue, depression, memory problems, sleep disturbances, and hot flushes. Cirsium japonicum (CJ) is used as a traditional medicine for hemorrhage, blood congestion, and inflammation in Korea. However, there is no report on the efficacy of CJ treatment for TDS. In this study, we observed the mitigating effect of CJ extract (CE) and fermented CJ extract (FCE) on symptoms of TDS. In elderly male rats, total and testosterone levels, hind limbs muscles, forced swimming time, and total and motile sperm counts significantly increased after daily intake of CE and FCE for 6 weeks. In contrast, sex hormone binding globulin, retroperitoneal fat, total serum cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were significantly reduced in CE and FCE groups. However, there was no difference in prostate specific antigen, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels among all groups, which means CE and FCE did not have putative adverse effects. In a cell experiment, we also observed that CE and FCE enhanced expression of genes related to testosterone biosynthesis but reduced genes involved in testosterone conversion. On the whole, these positive effects on TDS were greater in FCE compared to CE. Thus, these results suggest the potential of FCE as a promising natural product for recovering testosterone levels and alleviating TDS.