• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.451-461
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• 2015

In megavoltage (MV) radiotherapy, delivering the dose to the target volume is important while protecting the surrounding normal tissue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the modulation transfer function (MTF), the noise power spectrum (NPS), and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) using an edge block in megavoltage X-ray imaging (MVI). We used an edge block, which consists of tungsten with dimensions of 19 (thickness) ${\times}$ 10 (length) ${\times}$ 1 (width) $cm^3$ and measured the pre-sampling MTF at 6 MV energy. Various radiation therapy (RT) devices such as TrueBeam$^{TM}$ (Varian), BEAMVIEW$^{PLUS}$ (Siemens), iViewGT (Elekta) and Clinac$^{(R)}$iX (Varian) were used. As for MTF results, TrueBeam$^{TM}$(Varian) flattening filter free(FFF) showed the highest values of $0.46mm^{-1}$ and $1.40mm^{-1}$ for MTF 0.5 and 0.1. In NPS, iViewGT (Elekta) showed the lowest noise distribution. In DQE, iViewGT (Elekta) showed the best efficiency at a peak DQE and $1mm^{-1}DQE$ of 0.0026 and 0.00014, respectively. This study could be used not only for traditional QA imaging but also for quantitative MTF, NPS, and DQE measurement for development of an electronic portal imaging device (EPID).

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.167-185
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• 2019

As most G-20 countries expect medical spending to grow rapidly over the next few decades, the burden of healthcare costs continues to grow globally due to an increase in the elderly population and chronic illnesses, and the ongoing quality improvement of health care services. However, under the rapidly changing technological environment of healthcare and IT convergence, the problem may become even bigger if not properly recognized and not properly prepared. In the context of the paradigm shift and the increasing problem of the medical field, complex responses in technical, institutional and business aspects are urgently needed. The key is to derive a business model that is appropriate for businesses that integrate IT in the medical field. With the arrival of the era of the 4th industrial revolution, new technologies such as Internet of Things have been applied to eHealthcare, and the need for new business models has emerged.In the e-healthcare of the Internet era, it became a traditional firm-based business model. However, due to the characteristics of dynamics and complexity of things Internet in the Internet of things, A business ecosystem-based approach is needed. In this paper, we present and analyze the major success factors of the ecosystem based on the 3 - layer structure of the e - healthcare business ecosystem as a result of research on e - healthcare business ecosystem based on emerging technology such as Internet of things. The three-layer business ecosystem was defined as (1) Infrastructure Layer, (2) Character Layer, and (3) Stakeholder Layer. As the key success factors for the eHealthCare business ecosystem, the following four factors are suggested: (1) introduction of the iHealthcare concept, (2) expansion of the business ecosystem, (3) business ecosystem change process innovation, and (4) business ecosystem leadership innovation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

Background : According to the rising cases of clinical researches with Traditional Korean Medicine for persistent allergic rhinitis patients, the need for developing and applying Pattern diagnosis instrument has been increasing. Objective : This study was done to investigate and pragmatize the Pattern diagnosis instrument for persistent allergic rhinitis patients launched by KFDA in 2008. Methods : Data was collected by structured survey papers from Korean Medicine doctors participate in the Conference of The Korean Oriental Medical Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology & Dermatology Society in October 2012. We investigated their representative Patterns(변증) of every questions and used the mean results for assuming agreement rates. The importance order of 8 symptom domains for considering Pattern diagnostic steps were also asked and analyzed for inducing importance rates. Finally based on above two results, we developed weight points of each questions by multiplying agrement percents with importance rates. Results : 50 Korean medicine doctors described the informed consent and survey papers. Response agreement rates of each questions of Pattern diagnosis instruments were analyzed and described in Table 2. Comparing the survey results with diagnostic references, matched percent of 肺胃熱 was the 87.9%, 肺氣虛寒 was 62.5%, 肺脾氣虛 was 62.5% and 腎元虧虛 was 50%. Mean importance rates of rhinorrhea was 7.28, otoscope diagnosis 5.12, obstruction 5.04, sneeze 4.82, symptom duration 4.63, other body condition 3.54, tongue diagnosis 3.02, nasal pruritus 2.86, accordingly. Final importance rates of each questions were assumed, and the range of them was from 1.60 to 4.72, which were listed in Table 5. Conclusion : These results might provide the rational backgrounds and practical methods for developing and utilizing methods of Pattern diagnosis questionnaire for perennial allergic rhinitis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.624-630
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• 2016

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who attended a Korean medicine hospital and treatment effects through retrospective chart reviews.Methods: The medical records of 192 outpatients who had been diagnosed with COPD and visited the Allergy, Immune, and Respiratory System Department of Kyung Hee Korean Medicine Hospital from 1 February 2006 to 1 February, 2016 were retrospectively reviewed.Results: The study group consisted of 112 and 80 females. The median age of the patients was 59.80±15.46 y. Fifty of the patients had been diagnosed with chronic upper respiratory diseases, such as chronic rhinitis, nasopharyngitis, or sinusitis. The chief complaints were cough (n=136), sputum (n=124), and dyspnea (n=82). Other frequent symptoms were fatigue (n=11), hyperhidrosis (n=8), and a bad taste in the mouth (n=7). All the patients were prescribed Korean herbal medicine. In the study, 61 (31.77%) patients were treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, or herbal steam therapy. Symptoms improved in 126 (65.63%) patients 141±272.82 d after the first treatment.Conclusions: Some of the COPD patients had chronic upper respiratory disease. The chief complains were cough, sputum, and dyspnea. Oher frequent symptoms related to body malfunction and pain. The symptoms improved in 126 (65.63%) patients 141.00±272.82 d post-treatment.

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.63-83
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• 2011

This study aims to prove the changes, development and social background of Korean male cosmetics over the period of 2000-2010. There were total 574 articles written about male make-up and cosmetics in Chosun Daily, Joongang Daily and Donga Daily, which are the top three Korean local daily newspapers in terms of sales revenue for that period. These articles were analyzed together with social background research from various books and daily newspapers. The analysis of articles was divided into different categories; such as foundation cosmetics, color cosmetics, hair, and the social background. It was found that the articles related to foundation cosmetics were written the most, the articles related to male appearance management were second, articles on other items including how to manage the skin being the least. As for the social background of Korean male cosmetics, first of all, a change in social recognition can be pointed out. The traditional understanding of gender roles has changed, men's appearance management has started to be regarded as a competitive talent, and at the same time, the esthetic viewpoint for men also has changed. One example is the newly made popular term, "flower-handsome man", which shows the new trend of favoring males with nice skin. Second, the expansion of mass culture can be pointed out. As consumers can get information and fashion trends easier and faster, the fashion spreads fast, and this has led to the generalization and popularization of the sense of beauty. Third, the development of scientific technology and medical science can be pointed out. Thanks to the progress in those areas. the extension of youthfulness has become possible and the cosmetics industry was also affected greatly, as shown in the market spread of functional products for anti-ageing and wrinkle control as the interest in anti-ageing has grown. There are benefits from the development of scientific technology, but the problem of environmental pollution has appeared due to machinery and industrialization and thus the issue of well-being has been raised. Rising interest in naturalism, pro-environmentalism and organic cosmetics has influenced the cosmetics industry. In addition, the quantity of ultraviolet rays exposed to our skin has increased due to the air pollution caused by the destruction of environment, leading to increased usage of sun block lotion. Lastly, the influence of consumer society and the expansion of consumerism culture can be pointed out. In the modern society, consumption acts not only as the use of products and services but it also has an important role of mediating individuals with others and the society. The market for male cosmetics has been expanding and the number of men putting on make-up has been increasing rapidly. Therefore, this study is meaningful in that the analysis of the mode of change and the social background are an essential process in order to provide a direction for the future market for male cosmetics.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.37-51
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• 2012

Objectives : The objective of this study is to determine the present state of patients with breast cancer use of Korean medicine(KM) and predictive factors for the use. Through this, the present study is intended to present reasonable treatment approaches for patients with breast cancer as well as communicating correct information on KM to healthcare providers and presenting objective alternatives for patients with breast cancer management based on the subjects' experience in health benefits obtained from their use of KM. Methods : To collect data for the present study, questionnaire surveys were conducted on outpatients who visited four hospitals located in Seoul, Korea during around three weeks from May 31, 2012. Although the total number of the questionnaire sheet distributed in the form of directly asking questionnaire questions was 300, 12 incomplete questionnaire sheets were excluded. Therefore, the number of questionnaire sheets actually used in analyses was 288 and thus the collect rate was 96%. Results : Major results of this study are as follows. First, the number of subjects who responded to the questionnaire was 288 in total. Forty-six percent of the patients reported KM usage and the most commonly used ginseng and qigong/exercise. KM use was found to be associated with age, experiencing side effects of cancer treamnent. Factors that affect the use of KM were analyzed by Linear Logistic Regression and the results showed that age, experiencing side effects of cancer treatment, effectiveness of cancer treatment, and satisfaction of the treatment were factors that were related with relatively more frequent use of KM. Conclusions : Comparing the previous studies, it could be seen that patients with breast cancer were highly interested in and used KM in which conventional medicine and KM are used simultaneously. Knowledge on the integrative use of KM and conventional therapies is necessary for cancer physicians and traditional Korean medical doctors to help patients make informed choices. KM use may play a role in the positive benefits associated with process of breast center treatment. Healthcare providers should communicate correct information on the KM use that has been scientifically verified and talk with each other openly. The fact that the significant correlation between predictive factors for the use of KM was identified trough the present study is quite meaningful.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.431-436
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• 2013

Bone homeostasis is maintained by co-ordination of bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone-forming osteoblasts. Imbalance between osteoclasts and osteoblasts leads to many bone diseases such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis. Taxillus chinensis is a herb that has been widely used to improve bone health. However, the effect and mechanism of Taxillus chinensis extract on osteoclast differentiation and bone resportion has been unknown. Thus, We investigated the effect of Taxillus chinensis on expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. Also, the action of Taxillus chinensis on mechanisms relating to osteoclast differentiation was studied. In this results, we identified that Taxillus chinensis significantly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and bone resportion. Moreover, Taxillus chinensis was suppressed the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ in bone marrow macrophage treated RANKL and M-CSF. Taxillus chinensis was down-regulated the mRNA expression of c-Fos, nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT)c1, osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). The cell adhesion-related molecules such as integrin ${\alpha}v$ and integrin ${\beta}3$, and the filamentous actin (F-actin) rings of mature osteoclasts-related molecules such as dendritic cell-specific transmembrane preotein (DC-STAMP) and cathepsin K are also suppressed. Taken together, these results indicated that Taxillus chinensis will be a good candidate to treat osteoclast-mediated bone diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In Oriental medicine, certain foods may be beneficial or detrimental based on an individual's constitution; however, the scientific basis for this theory is insufficient. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of body constitution, based on the Sasang type of Korean traditional medical classification system, on the bioavailability of soy isoflavones of Cheonggukjang, a quick-fermented soybean paste. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A pilot study was conducted on 48 healthy Korean men to evaluate the bioavailability of isoflavone after ingestion of food based on constitution types classified by the Sasang typology. The participants were classified into the Taeeumin (TE; n = 15), Soyangin (SY; n = 15), and Soeumin (SE; n = 18) groups. Each participant ingested 50 g of Cheonggukjang per 60 kg body weight. Thereafter, blood was collected, and the soy isoflavone metabolites were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Ntrikinetic analysis of individual isoflavone-derived metabolites was performed. RESULTS: Our nutrikinetic analysis identified 21 metabolites derived from isoflavones in the blood samples from 48 healthy Korean men (age range, 21-29 years). Significant differences were observed in the time to maximum concentration (T_max) and elimination half-life (t_1/2) for nine metabolites among the three groups. The T_max and t_1/2 of the nine metabolites were higher in the SE group than in the other groups. Moreover, the absorption rates, as determined by the area under the plasma-level curve (AUC) values of intact isoflavone, were 5.3 and 9.4 times higher in the TE group than in the SY and SE groups, respectively. Additionally, the highest AUC values for phase I and II metabolites were observed in the TE group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that isoflavone bioavailability, following Cheonggukjang insgestion, is high in individuals with the TE constitution, and relatively lower in those with the SE and SY constitutions.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.833-842
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• 2020

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a commonly encountered large intestine disease in the contemporary world that terminates into colorectal cancer; therefore, the timely treatment of UC is of major concern. Panax ginseng Meyer is an extensively consumed herbal commodity in South East Asian countries, especially Korea. It exhibits a wide range of biologically beneficial qualities for almost head-to-toe ailments in the body. Epimedium koreanum Nakai (EKN) is also a widely used traditional Korean herbal medicine used for treating infertility, rheumatism, and cardiovascular diseases. Materials and methods: Separately the anti-inflammatory activities of both red ginseng extracts (RGEs) and EKNs had been demonstrated in the past in various inflammatory models; however, we sought to unravel the anti-inflammatory activities of the combination of these two extracts in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice model because the allopathic remedies for UC involve more side effects than benefits. Results: Our results have shown that the combination of RGE + EKN synergistically alleviated the macroscopic lesions in DSS-induced colitic mice such as colon shortening, hematochezia, and weight loss. Moreover, it restored the histopathological lesions in mice and decreased the levels of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines through the repression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and nucleotide-binding domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP-3) expression. In vitro, this combination also reduced the magnitude of nitric acid (NO), proinflammatory mediators and cytokine through NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells. Conclusion: In the light of these findings, we can endorse this combination extract as a functional food for the prophylactic as well as therapeutic treatment of UC in humans together with allopathic remedies.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.152-157
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of traditional Korean medical therapy in patients with functional dyspepsia evaluted using multi-channel electrogastrography. Before the treatment, the EGG of 14 outpatients (male 3, female 11) with functional dyspepsia were recorded and their dominant frequency(DF), percentage of gastric slow waves, percentage of Power ratio, and percentage of slow wave couplings were analysed. For 8 weeks, the patients received acupuncture treatment. After 8 weeks, EGG was rechecked and compared with the previous data. After treatment, normogastria was significantly increased in channel 1 and channel 3($53.70{\pm}18.94$% vs $72.64{\pm}15.49$% in channel 1, P<0.05; $79.74{\pm}18.09$ vs $90.86{\pm}8.86$ in channel 3, P<0.05). arrythmia was significantly decreased in channel 3($14.34{\pm}15.21$ vs $5.93{\pm}6.90$, P<0.05). The patients who had less severe decrease in EGG indexes showed improvement of those indexes through 8 weeks of outpatient care. EGG channel 3 was shown to be the most adequate standard of evaluation. But there was no significant improvement in slow wave coupling rate which is a new index of multichannel EGG.