• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2018

Objectives: Problem behaviors pose a great obstacle to daily functioning in children with neurodevelopmental deficits and are an important target for treatment. In this study, we translated the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI)-01 into Korean language and tested its psychometric properties. Methods: We attained the approval of the BPI author and performed standard translation-back translation. Then, professional caregivers examined appropriateness according to cultural and situational contexts in order to make necessary modifications of the Korean version of the BPI. Results: The BPI-01, Korea-Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised (K-SIB-R), and Child Behavior Checklist were completed for 98 autistic spectrum disorder or intellectual development disorder participants (mean age=28.3, standard deviation=7.3, range=10.1-51.7). The inter-rater reliability of the BPI-01 was found to be high (r=0.992-1.000). As for the results for concurrent validity for subscale items of BPI-01 and scales of SIB, correlations between SIB and BPI-01 subscales were statistically significant (r=0.357-0.672). Discussion: The Korean version of the BPI-01 showed good psychometric properties with high reliability and sufficient convergent validity. Further examination of the validity of BPI-01 should be carried out with inclusion of younger aged children and a closer look at less frequently occurring symptoms.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.459-466
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• 2021

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Because of the side effects and incomplete recovery from current therapy, stem cell therapy emerges as a potential therapy for CVD treatment, and endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) is one of the key stem cells used for therapeutic applications. The effect of this therapy required the expansion of EPC function. To enhance the EPC activation, proliferation, and angiogenesis using dronedarone hydrochloride (DH) is the purpose of this study. DH received approval for atrial fibrillation treatment and its cardiovascular protective effects were already reported. In this study, DH significantly increased EPC proliferation, tube formation, migration, and maintained EPCs surface marker expression. In addition, DH treatment up-regulated the phosphorylation of AKT and reduced the reactive oxygen species production. In summary, the cell priming by DH considerably improved the functional activity of EPCs, and the use of which might be a novel strategy for CVD treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2016

Background: Pectus excavatum (PE) and pectus carinatum (PC) are the most common chest wall deformities. In this study, we aimed to characterize how patients obtained information about these deformities, as well as patients' family history, associated medical problems, and postoperative satisfaction after the Nuss and Abramson procedures. Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study included patients who were operated by a single surgeon between 2006 and 2013. Follow-up calls were made after approval of our institution's ethics committee. We reached 207 of the 336 PE patients (61.6%) and 73 of the 96 PC patients (76%). Results: The majority of the patients were male (85% of the PE patients and 91.8% of the PC patients). The age of diagnosis of PE was $14.52{\pm}0.51years$ and the age at the time of operation was $17.89{\pm}0.42years$; for PC patients, the corresponding ages were $15.23{\pm}0.55years$ and $16.77{\pm}0.55years$, respectively. A total of 70% of the PE patients and 63.8% of the PC patients obtained information about pectus deformities through the Internet. In 27.1% of the PE patients with an associated anomaly, 57.1% (n=13) had scoliosis, while 41.1% of the PC patients with an associated anomaly had kyphosis (n=5). Postoperative satisfaction, as evaluated on a scale from 0 to 10, was $8.17{\pm}0.15$ for PE patients and $8.37{\pm}0.26$ for PC patients. The postoperative pain duration was $51.93{\pm}5.18days$ for PE patients and $38.5{\pm}6.88days$ for PC patients. Conclusion: In this study, we found that most patients with pectus deformities were male. The Internet was an important resource for patients to learn about their deformities. Family history and associated anomalies were identified as important aspects for consideration in the clinical setting. The patients reported high levels of postoperative satisfaction, and pain management was found to be one of the most important elements of postoperative care.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.45-50
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• 2015

Objectives: In this study, we investigated the 4-week repeated-dose oral toxicity of gami-jakyak gamcho buja decoction (Mecasin) to develop safe treatments. Methods: In order to investigate the 4-week oral toxicity of Mecasin, we administered Mecasin orally to rats. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four groups of five male and five female animals per group: group 1 being the control group and groups 2, 3, and 4 being the experimental groups. Doses of Mecasin of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg of body weight were administered to the experimental groups, and a dose of normal saline solution of 10 mL/kg was administered to the control group. We examined the survival rate, weight, clinical signs, and gross findings for four weeks. This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Results: No deaths occurred in any of the four groups. No significant changes in weights or food consumption between the control group and the experimental groups were observed. Serum biochemistry revealed that some groups showed significant decrease in inorganic phosphorus (IP) (P < 0.05). During necropsy on the rats, one abnormal macroscopic feature, a slight loss of fur, was observed in the mid dosage (1,000 mg/kg) male group. No abnormalities were observed in any other rats. In histopathological findings, the tubular basophilia and cast of the kidney and extramedullary hematopoiesis of the spleen were found. However, those changes were minimal and had occurred naturally or sporadically. No other organ abnormalities were observed. Conclusion: During this 4-week, repeated, oral toxicity test of Mecasin in SD rats, no toxicity changes due to Mecasin were observed in any of the male or the female rats in the high dosage group. Thus, we suggest that the doses in a 13-week, repeated test should be 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg respectively.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.195-199
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• 2005

The Working Group on the revision of Clinical Research Methodology for Acupuncture met in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 24 to 26 August 2005. The main objectives of the meeting were to review the regional publication guidelines for Clinical Research on Acupuncture, to make necessary revisions in the guidelines, to make recommendations on further collaboration and activities in the field of research on acupuncture, and to discuss scientific evidence-based approaches in the clinical research on acupuncture. Fourteen members from the eight Member States, one secretariat staff from the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific and ten observers from the Republic of Korea attended the meeting. The members presented their papers to review the current status of clinical research on acupuncture. The drafts of proposed revision to the previous guidelines for clinical research methodology on acupuncture were discussed extensively. The issues covered during the discussion included: the definition of the new terms; reorganization of clinical research design; revision and update of contents (e.g., control group); introduction of Institutional Review Board (IRB) on the section of ethical approval; additional outcomes including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), qualitative measures, etc. In the course of these discussions, the working group developed the revised guidelines for clinical research on acupuncture and made recommendations for promoting the dissemination of the revised guidelines.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.77-81
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• 2008

The major aim of the Korean Pharmacogenomic Database (KPD) is to offer to users a "bridging" function, making the search for useful information easier. This database has also been established to collect unique Korean genotype data from other databases and to directly link these data to other major databases that offer more informative data. In this way, searches for information about new drug developments and easier and faster evaluation of the more complex and larger databases are possible. The KPD is located at the National Institute of Toxicological Research homepage (http://www.nitr.go.kr/nitr/contents/m134700/view.do), and offers Korean single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) information for 154 genes and haplotype information. It also compares the Korean SNP and haplotype frequencies with those of the other ethnic groups registered in the International HapMap. Through the Pharmacogenomic Information and Education facility, we also provide evaluators and the public with information about the concept of pharmacogenomic information, research trends, and the drug regulations of other countries. Because the drug responses of Koreans are not necessarily the same as those of Chinese or Japanese people, it is expected that the systematic operation of the KPD will allow the definition of racial differences and various genomic biomarkers (haplotypes or SNPs) for use in bridging studies and in the approval of new drugs.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.264-274
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• 2023

Purpose: The objective is to extract insights that can contribute to the formulation of harmonized international policies and support measures for innovative medical devices and management systems. This study aims to propose effective strategies for future medical device innovation and healthcare delivery. Results: It investigates technological advancements, regulatory approval systems, insurance policies, and successful commercialization cases in South Korea, the United States, and the European Union. In 2018, the FDA implemented insurance coverage for Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and recognized insurance coverage for Digital Therapeutics (DTx). Germany is a country that ensures permanent reimbursement for healthcare applications since 2020, making it the first country to provide legal health insurance coverage for fostering a digital ecosystem. Conclusion: The findings of this research highlight the importance of cultivating a supportive regulatory and environmental framework to facilitate the adoption of innovative medical devices. Continuous support for research and development (R&D) efforts by companies, along with the validation of clinical effectiveness, is crucial.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.10
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• pp.395-401
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• 2016

Since the outbreak of the enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in Malaysia in 1997, large epidemics of EV71 have occurred in the Asia-Pacific region. Many children and infants have died from serious neurological complications during these epidemics, and EV71 infection has become a serious public health problem in these areas. EV71 infection causes hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in children, and usually resolves spontaneously. However, EV71 occasionally involves the central nervous system (CNS), and induces diverse neurological complications such as brainstem encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, and acute flaccid paralysis. Among those complications, brainstem encephalitis is the most critical neurological manifestation because it can cause neurogenic pulmonary hemorrhage/edema leading to death. The characteristic clinical symptoms such as myoclonus and ataxia, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, and brainstem lesions on magnetic resonance imaging, in conjunction with the skin rash of HFMD and the isolation of EV71 from a stool, throat-swab, or CSF sample are typical findings indicating CNS involvement of EV71 infection. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and milrinone are recommended in cases with severe neurological complications from EV71 infection, such as brainstem encephalitis. Despite the recent discovery of receptors for EV71 in human cells, such as the scavenger receptor B2 and P-selection glycoprotein ligand 1, it is not known why EV71 infection predominantly involves the brainstem. Recently, 3 companies in China have completed phase III clinical trials of EV71 vaccines. However, the promotion and approval of these vaccines in various countries are problems yet to be resolved.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.299-316
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• 2003

A phenomenological methodology was used to identify the life of children living with alcoholic parents. Nine adolescents participated in the in-depth interviews, done between October and December 2001. The Colaizzi's method was used for data analysis. The results of this study are as follows. One theme and thirteen meanings were identified, The one theme is Paradoxical Coping in Life. The meanings are obsessive behavior as a way to control father's behavior, always on the defensive due to anxiety and tension, being afraid of life alone due to paranoid thoughts, contradictory expectations about father's drinking behavior due to life with chronic tension, stress becoming familiar and life being boring and tendious without stimulation, life that is fake and filled with misinterpretations about reality, affection sought from others due to loneliness, compensatory life within peer group, negative expectation about the future due to negative experiences, controling others to protect ego, denial of real emotion to protect self from hurt, life of regretting self, and strong need for approval from others. The results of this study can provide a foundation for the development of programs for children of alcohol dependent parents.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.117-128
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• 2020

Purpose: This study analyzed the information and accessibility of toxic substances provided to Internet websites. Methods: From August 1, 2020, to August 31, 2020, we analyzed eight internet websites regarding toxic pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and chemicals. The website-evaluation criteria were divided into five categories for information and five categories for website convenience. Results: All eight websites about toxic substances were hosted by reliable institutions or organizations and provided accurate information in terms of informational relevance. The website run by the Safety and Health Corporation scored the highest with 100points. Analysis of the websites' accessibility to non-members' revealed that six (75.0%) were accessible, but two (12.5%) provided only limited information. Access to information through mobile apps was only available in three of the eight cases (37.5%). Conclusion: This study can be used as a reference for Internet websites about toxic substances. Toxicological information that can be viewed only with membership and manager approval requires membership in advance of viewing. In addition, emergency medical personnel working at a site or hospital should be familiar with the characteristics of toxicity information retrieval.