• Animal cells and systems
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.237-244
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• 2010

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition that primarily affects women. Here, we investigate the effects of human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in a rodent model of SUI. Female Sprague-Dawley rats at 7 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups (n=8 per group): sham-operation, SUI-induction by transabdominal urethrolysis, and SUI-induction followed by transplantation of human ADSCs into the urethra. The abdominal leak point pressure at 8 weeks after the operation was markedly decreased by transabdominal urethrolysis, confirming successful induction of SUI. Interestingly, transplantation of human ADSCs into the urethra significantly blunted the decrease of abdominal leak point pressure in SUI-induced rats. Accordingly, we observed expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin in a significant proportion of transplanted ADSCs, indicating differentiation of ADSCs into smooth muscle cells in the urethra. Moreover, the SUI-induced elevations of c-Fos immunoreactivities in the pontine micturition center (PMC) and in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) were clearly suppressed by transplantation of human ADSCs. These results imply that human ADSCs can be an effective therapeutic modality to ameliorate the symptoms of SUI.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.69-78
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• 2021

The development of smart healthcare wearables for health is accelerating. Among them, many wearable products using EMS electrical stimulation, which is one of the active research fields, have been released. However, the EMS wearable, which has been studied or released, is released in a comprehensive full-body suit that does not focus on muscle segmentation or a belt that covers the entire abdomen. Therefore, this study intends to use two breathing methods by applying an EMS pattern that subdivides specific muscles and attach a stretch sensor that can measure breathing to the abdominal pressure belt. The measurement method was conducted by inhaling and exhaling, and the subjects were 10 men in their 20s with healthy bodies. As a result of this study, the sensor's sensitivity was 5 and 3 mm, and the basic sensor in both thoracic and abdominal breathings and the EMS abdominal pressure belt showed improved respiration activation after applying electrical stimulation before and after application. It is concluded that, because of the two patterns produced based on the physical function, the difference in respiration activation effect and sensitivity between sensors could be confirmed with three sensors rather than not applying electrical stimulation suitable for the respiration method. Based on the results of this study, a follow-up study aims to develop breathing smart clothing that can be monitored in real time in clothing-type wearable products that incorporate EMS patterns and stretch sensors.

• 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

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 1997

Steady and physiological flows of a Newtonian fluid and blood in the abdominal gorta/iliac artery bifurcation are numerically simulated to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Distributions of velocity, pressure, and wall shear stress in the bifurcated arterial vessel model are calculated to investigate the differences of flow characteristics between steady and physiological flows and to compare flow characteristics of blood with that of a Newtonian fluid For the given Reynolds number the flow characteristics of physiological flows for a Newtonian fluid and blood in the bifurcated arterial vessel are quite different from thcse of steady flows. No flow separation or flow reversal in the bifurcated region appears downstream of a stenosis during the acceleration phase. However, during the deceleration phase the flow exhibits flow separation in the outer walls of daugtlter branches, which extends to the entire wall region.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.sup1
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• pp.84-87
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• 2016

Midaortic syndrome (MAS) is a rare vascular disease that commonly causes renovascular hypertension. The lumen of the abdominal aorta narrows and the ostia of the branches show stenosis. MAS is associated with diminished pulses in the lower extremities compared with the upper extremities, severe hypertension with higher blood pressure in the upper rather than lower extremities, and an abdominal bruit. The clinical symptoms are variable, and recognition in children with hypertension can aid early diagnosis and optimal treatment. Hypertension with MAS is malignant and often refractory to several antihypertensive drugs. Recently, radiologic modalities have been developed and have led to numerous interventional procedures. We describe the case of a 3-year-old boy presenting with left ventricular hypertrophy whose severely elevated blood pressure led to the diagnosis of idiopathic MAS. This case highlights the importance of measuring blood pressure and conducting a detailed physical examination to diagnose MAS. This is the first reported case of idiopathic MAS diagnosed in childhood in Korea.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was to investigate the relations and odds ratio between hs-CRP and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome according to glucose intolerance and diabetes among the residents of a rural community. Methods: The subjects include 1,968 adults aged from 40 to 70 who were divided into four groups and a diabetes group according to glucose intolerance to compare the relations and risk ratio between hs-CRP and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. Results: The results reveal that the greater the subjects' glucose intolerance was, the higher their hs-CRP became and the more risk factors of metabolic syndrome they had. The impaired glucose tolerance group showed 1.7 times higher blood pressure than the control group. The diabetes group showed a high odds ratio with 2.3 times higher blood pressure, 2.2 times higher abdominal obesity, and 2.4 times higherW/Ht than the control group. And the odds ratio increased significantly by 1.7 times in the hs-CRP intermediate risk group and 2.5 times in the high risk group compared with the control group. Conclusion: Considering the study results, it is very important to monitor abdominal obesity, blood pressure and the intermediate and high risk group of hs-CRP in order to reduce the contraction of cardiovascular diseases.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2017

Pulse pressure is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between pulse pressure and metabolic syndrome in Korean men. The study subjects were 8,439 adults aged 40 to 64 years, who underwent health screening examination from January 2012 to December 2014 at the Health Promotion Center of one hospital in Gyeonggi-do for general health check-up. They include the metabolic syndrome absent group (Absent, n=3,078), the pre-metabolic syndrome group (Pre-MetS, n=4,242) and the metabolic syndrome group (MetS, n=1,119). Progressive increase in pulse pressure was demonstrated for increasing components of the metabolic syndrome (P<0.001). The pulse pressure according to the degree of the metabolic syndrome was higher in the pre-MetS and MetS groups compared to the Absent group (P<0.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting glucose, and abdominal obesity positively correlated with pulse pressure (P<0.001).

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.258-270
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• 1999

This study was carried out to offer the basic data for more qualitative lives of the middle-aged women through their health maintenance and control. So, the researcher reviewed and analyzed the health problems of the middle-aged women, the differences of main symptoms in each subject, positive ratcs in screening tests, the difference of screening tests with age and the correlation of obesity and blood pressure with screening tests. All subjects were 218 women(40-59years) who had a check-up at a comprehensive health check-up center in K University Hospital in Seoul from July 1, 1998 to August 31. 1998. Questionaires were developed to get subjects, general characteristics. main symptoms, medical examination and diagnosed disease by the researcher referring through the questionaires of comprehensive health check-up center and the medical recorders were used as a tool of study. The researcher analyzed the data with SPSS PC+ ; the distribution of the subjects, general characteristics and main symptoms with percentage : the difference between main symptoms and screening tests with X$^2$-test, ANOVA. The results are as follows. 1) Among the age distribution, most were 40-45 years old and unemployed. 2) The most common complaints were indigestion in digestive system, cough in respiratory system, heart beat in cardiovascular system, general sweat in endocrine system. edema in urinary system, easy bruise in hematologic system, backache in musculoskeletal system, headache in psychoneurologic system, lochia in gynecology, itch in dermatology system, eye ball pain in visual system and tinnitus in auditory system. 3) In main symptoms according to age, the 40-45 age group had a higher rate of complaints in digestive system and gynecology than other age group ; the 46-49 age group in endocrine system. 4) The main symptoms according to diagnosis had no difference statistically. 5) The screening tests which showed high rates of abnormality were mammography(the highest), abdominal ultrasonography, upper gastrointestinal series/gastrofiberscopy, PFT. In all age group the highest rate of abnormality was seen in mammography. 6) In screening tests according to age. the 46-49 age group showed higher positive rates of pap smear, blood sugar test, urine test than any other age group ; the 50-55 age group showerd higher positive rates of obesity, BP, chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography, ESR, SGOT, CRP and urine micro. 7) In correlation of obesity with screening test, the obesity group showed higher positive rates of blood pressure, chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography, HCT and CRP than the normal weight group. 8) In correlation of blood pressure with screening test, the hypertension group showed higher positive rate of obesity, chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography, pap smear and blood sugar than the normal blood pressure group. In conculusion, the middle-aged women have various physical symptoms and affected by age. The obesity and BP have an important effect on the health of the middle aged women. Therefore, this study is considered significant as data for qualitative lives of the middle-aged women playing an important part of family health care by catching of their health problem complaints for prevention of disease and promotion of health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.873-878
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• 2019

Cerebrovascular disease is one of the three major causes of death in Korea. Since these diseases are associated with atherosclerosis, the diagnosis of atherosclerotic factors should be presented. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between brachial-ankle arterial pulse wave velocity, cerebral artery vascular stenosis, blood pressure, obesity, and abdominal obesity by age group. The significance of cerebral artery stenosis and age group. The risk factors of atherosclerosis, such as blood pressure, obesity, and abdominal obesity, were significant in all age groups. When the pulse wave velocity of the brachial-ankle artery was increased, the cerebral artery stenosis was distributed in 57.3% of the total test subjects. If the arterial stiffness is suspected during the measurement of the pulse wave velocity of the brachial ankle artery, We recommend suspected vascular stenosis and perform a cerebral artery angiography. It is suggested that the data will be used as a baseline data for similar studies after evaluating the significance of blood pressure, obesity, and abdominal obesity as risk factors of atherosclerosis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.175-185
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• 2022

Purpose : This study was conducted to determine the effect of Kegel exercise using a pressure biofeedback unit (PBU) for 2 weeks on maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and abdominal muscle thickness based on previous studies. Methods : The subjects of this study were 20 healthy female students in their 20s. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. Eleven subjects were assigned to the experimental group (EG) and 9 subjects were assigned to the control group (CG). Subjects measured MVV with a spirometer. In hooklying position, transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) of the dominant side were measured using ultrasound. For the measurement value, the average value of three times was adopted. After 2 weeks of intervention, the measurements were measured in the same way. In the EG, pelvic setting training using PBU was performed before Kegel exercise. The PBU was first placed at the waist in the Kegel exercise position and the starting pressure was set at 40 mmHg and adjusted to 60 mmHg through pelvic floor muscle contraction. After performing pelvic control using PBU, Kegel exercise was performed with 8 seconds of contraction, 8 seconds of relaxation, and 3 sets of 10 reps per set. A significance level of 𝛼=.05 was used to verify statistical significance. Results : In the variable of MVV, a significant increase was confirmed in the EG (p<.05). In the abdominal muscle thickness variable, significant increases were confirmed in IO and TrA in the EG (p<.05). In addition, a significant increase in IO was confirmed in the CG (p<.05). Significant increases in IO and TrA were confirmed between groups (p<.05). Conclusion : Based on the previous study, this study confirmed that Kegel exercise using a PBU had a positive effect on MVV and abdominal muscle thickness based on a 2-week intervention.