• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.27
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• pp.471-496
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• 2012

Since Takeo Toi's discussion in The Anatomy of Dependence (1973), the concept of amae has generated considerable interest in the fields of psychology, anthropology, communication and other fields. However, there have been few agreements on the definition and functions of amae (Behrens, 2004). Furthermore, it has rarely drawn interest from linguists in general and has rarely been discussed in the context of social interaction. This study aims to examine the concept of amae in Japanese and the corresponding phenomena in Korean, and attempts to explore the similarities and differences between them. The prototype of the amae relationship is the mother-infant relationship (Doi,1973). Even an adult can assume the role of a baby, showing his or her need for dependence on others and expecting to be accepted. It turns out that amae-like phenomena frequently occur in everyday life in Korea as well (Lee, 1982). There is no single term for the concept, but it can be translated in many different ways in Korean, for example, aykyo, ayang, ungsek, erikwang, etc. It can have either positive or negative connotations depending on the situation. It seems that the psychological system that causes dependent behaviors such as ungsek in Korea is cheong, one of the key terms characterizing the Korean culture. Cheong, like amae, starts in the mother-infant relationship extending to familial and to other relationships. A corpus-based analysis shows that cheong is conceptualized as gluing people together, growing over time, and also potentially fatal because it assumes illogical, uncalculated, and personal relationships. In conclusion, unlike some Japanese scholars' claim that amae is the Japanese concept that exists only in Japan, it seems that similar phenomena do exist in Korea as well, but that Korean has no single term corresponding to amae in Japanese. It seems that cheong can be posited in Korean as the inner emotional system that makes amae-like behaviors possible, and that there is not single term, but many, designating the behaviors, possibly because the behaviors have a negative connotation and are not encouraged in Korean society.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.237-249
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• 2019

Objectives: Interest in the use of complementary and alternative treatments to treat dementia. Meditation is used to treat various symptoms of physical and psychological diseases. Some studies suggest that meditation might have positive effects on cognitive functions, especially attention, in the elderly. However, how meditation affects Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients remains unclear. In this review, we assessed the effectiveness of practicing meditation in combination with standard care in AD. Methods: We searched the CCRCT, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and CINAHL databases on 30 May 2017. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used meditation in adult patients diagnosed with AD. We allocated patients to a meditation combined with standard care or a standard care-only group. Results: The two RCTs met the inclusion criteria. A total of 98 patients were included in the meditation with standard care and standard care-only groups in this review. All meditation programs in the included trials were based on practicing mindfulness. The results of our meta-analysis indicatedthat adjunctive mindfulness meditation programs exerted favourable but non-significant effects on cognitive function on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) (MD=4.68, 95% CI -0.11 to 9.46; Z=1.92, p=0.06). Only one study assessed depression, anxiety, quality of life and stress. No adverse events related to meditation were reported in the included studies. Conclusions: Insufficient data iscurrently available to determine the effectiveness of practicing meditation on patients diagnosed with AD. Hence, further RCTs with high methodological quality and larger sample sizes are needed to effectively estimate the effects of meditation on AD.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.50
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• pp.453-482
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• 2018

This study is about the French preposition de. This preposition is considered to have no meaning in the French language, and to have only the grammatical function in its use. This study begins with doubts about such views regarding this preposition. We organize and classify general descriptions of the uses of this preposition. The uses are classified as 'expressing starting point,' 'giving characteristics' and 'performing grammatical functions' and this data is analyzed in terms of the associated cognitive grammar. In the case of expressing the starting point, it is assumed that the trajector moves from the starting point, to the destination point, in the domain of space and in the domain of time. Therefore, it is noted in this case that the preposition de has a dynamic concept. On the other hand, it is significant to understand that the preposition of the 'giving characteristics' defines an outline of a particular class by giving the class's characteristics. The preposition de has a static concept in this case. For the preposition de which introduces the infinitive, all of these dynamic and static concepts are faded and extremely grammaticalized.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.341-358
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• 2022

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a person-centered fall prevention program for older adults with dementia in long-term care hospitals. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The study sample included 42 older adults with dementia (experimental group: 21, control group: 21) and 42 caregivers (experimental group: 21, control group: 21). The program comprised 48 sessions held over 12 weeks and included exercise intervention with resistance and balance, dance walking (45~60 min, three times/week), cognitive and emotional intervention (35~50 min, once per week), and person-centered fall prevention education (10 min, once per week). The program for caregivers consisted of six educational sessions (i.e., fall prevention competency enhancement and person-centered care strategy education, 80 min, once per week) for six weeks. Data were collected before participation and 12 weeks after program completion from February 18 to May 12, 2019. Data analysis was conducted using the chi-square test, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test with SPSS/WIN 21.0. Results: The experimental group of older adults with dementia showed significant improvement in physical and cognitive functions, and a decrease in depression, and behavioral and psychological symptoms, when compared with the control group. caregivers in the experimental group exhibited significant improvement in fall-related knowledge and person-centered care of older adults with dementia compared to the control group. Conclusion: The study findings indicate that this program was effective as a nursing intervention for fall prevention among older adults with dementia in long-term care hospitals.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.146-151
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: The relationship between hearing aid (HA) use and improvement in cognitive function is not fully known. This study aimed to determine whether HAs could recover temporal resolution or hearing in noise functions. Materials and Methods: We designed a prospective study with two groups: HA users and controls. Patients older than 45 years, with a pure tone average threshold of worse than 40 dB and a speech discrimination score better than 60% in both ears were eligible. Central auditory processing tests and hearing in noise tests (HINTs) were evaluated at the beginning of the study and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the use of a monaural HA in the HA group compared to the control group. The changes in the evaluation parameters were statistically analyzed using the linear mixed model. Results: A total of 26 participants (13 in the HA and 13 in the control group) were included in this study. The frequency (p<0.01) and duration test (p=0.02) scores showed significant improvements in the HA group after 1 year, while the HINT scores showed no significant change. Conclusions: After using an HA for one year, patients performed better on temporal resolution tests. No improvement was documented with regard to hearing in noise.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.59-67
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• 2022

The main purpose of this study is to quantitatively grasp the effectiveness of the gardening program by conducting a gardening program to induce active activities of the elderly and to induce healing functions and social activities, and then observing the results before and after implementation. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, as a result of conducting 30 gardening programs for 20 elderly people at two elderly care facilities, the measure of depression was found to have an improvement effect as a practice-oriented program, and it was found to revitalize the elderly. In addition, it was found that the quality of life was improved by the gardening program, and it was found to be helpful in activating the brain.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.146-151
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: The relationship between hearing aid (HA) use and improvement in cognitive function is not fully known. This study aimed to determine whether HAs could recover temporal resolution or hearing in noise functions. Materials and Methods: We designed a prospective study with two groups: HA users and controls. Patients older than 45 years, with a pure tone average threshold of worse than 40 dB and a speech discrimination score better than 60% in both ears were eligible. Central auditory processing tests and hearing in noise tests (HINTs) were evaluated at the beginning of the study and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the use of a monaural HA in the HA group compared to the control group. The changes in the evaluation parameters were statistically analyzed using the linear mixed model. Results: A total of 26 participants (13 in the HA and 13 in the control group) were included in this study. The frequency (p<0.01) and duration test (p=0.02) scores showed significant improvements in the HA group after 1 year, while the HINT scores showed no significant change. Conclusions: After using an HA for one year, patients performed better on temporal resolution tests. No improvement was documented with regard to hearing in noise.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.23-33
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• 2021

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the effects of dual-task training according to the variability of the walking environment on balance, gait, and function in patients with stroke. Methods : Twenty-five patients with stroke were randomly assigned to experimental group I (n=12) and experimental group II (n=13). Experimental group I and II performed obstacle and non-obstacle walking training, respectively, along with cognitive tasks for 21 minutes per session, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Both groups received additional general physical therapy for 30 minutes per session. The functional reach test (FRT), gait analyzer (G-Walk), and functional independence measure (FIM) were used to evaluate balance, gait and function of pre- and post-interventions, respectively, while gait cadence, gait velocity, and stride length were evaluated using a gait analyzer. Results : In the within-group comparison of FRT, all the two groups showed significant post-intervention improvements (p<.05). In within-group comparison of gait cadence, all the two groups showed significant post-intervention improvements (p<.05). In within-group comparison of gait velocity, all the two groups showed significant post-intervention improvements (p<.05). In within-group comparison of stride length, experimental group I showed significant post-intervention improvements (p<.05), while experimental group II did not show significant post-intervention improvements (p>.05). In within-group comparison of FIM scores, experimental group I showed significant post-intervention improvements (p<.05), while experimental group II did not show significant post-intervention improvements (p>.05). There was a significant difference in the change of FIM scores pre- and post-intervention (p<.05) in the between-group comparison. Conclusion : The results of this study show that dual-task training with cognitive tasks and walking training can improve the balance, gait and function of patients with stroke, and obstacle walking training is effective for improving functions including activities of daily living compared to non-obstacle walking training.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.464-472
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• 2022

Background: Gut microbiota influence the central nervous system through gut-brain-axis. They also affect the neurological disorders. Gut microbiota differs in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), as a potential factor that leads to progression of AD. Oral intake of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) improves the cognitive functions. Therefore, it can be proposed that KRG affect the microbiota on the gut-brain-axis to the brain. Methods: Tg2576 were used for the experimental model of AD. They were divided into four groups: wild type (n = 6), AD mice (n = 6), AD mice with 30 mg/kg/day (n = 6) or 100 mg/kg/day (n = 6) of KRG. Following two weeks, changes in gut microbiota were analyzed by Illumina HiSeq4000 platform 16S gene sequencing. Microglial activation were evaluated by quantitative Western blot analyses of Iba-1 protein. Claudin-5, occludin, laminin and CD13 assay were conducted for Blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. Amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation demonstrated through Aβ 42/40 ratio was accessed by ELISA, and cognition were monitored by Novel object location test. Results: KRG improved the cognitive behavior of mice (30 mg/kg/day p < 0.05; 100 mg/kg/day p < 0.01), and decreased Aβ 42/40 ratio (p < 0.01) indicating reduced Aβ accumulation. Increased Iba-1 (p < 0.001) for reduced microglial activation, and upregulation of Claudin-5 (p < 0.05) for decreased BBB permeability were shown. In particular, diversity of gut microbiota was altered (30 mg/kg/day q-value<0.05), showing increased population of Lactobacillus species. (30 mg/kg/day 411%; 100 mg/kg/day 1040%). Conclusions: KRG administration showed the Lactobacillus dominance in the gut microbiota. Improvement of AD pathology by KRG can be medicated through gut-brain axis in mice model of AD.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.377-383
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• 2023

Purpose: There is increasing attention to the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for enhancing cognitive functions in subjects to aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite varying treatment outcomes in tDCS which depend on the amount of current reaching the brain, there is no general information on the impacts of anatomical features associated with AD on tDCS-induced electric field. Objective: The objective of this study is to examine how AD-related anatomical variation affects the tDCS-induced electric field using computational modeling. Methods: We collected 180 magnetic resonance images (MRI) of AD patients and healthy controls from a publicly available database (Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; ADNI), and MRIs were divided into female-AD, male-AD, female-normal, and male-normal groups. For each group, segmented brain volumes (cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, ventricle, rostral middle frontal (RMF), and hippocampus/amygdala complex) using MRI were measured, and tDCS-induced electric fields were simulated, targeting RMF. Results: For segmented brain volumes, significant sex differences were observed in the gray matter and RMF, and considerable disease differences were found in cerebrospinal fluid, ventricle, and hippocampus/amygdala complex. There were no differences in the tDCS-induced electric field among AD and normal groups; however, higher peak values of electric field were observed in the female group than the male group. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated the presence of sex and disease differences in segmented brain volumes; however, this pattern differed in tDCS-induced electric field, resulting in significant sex differences only. Further studies, we will adjust the brain stimulation conditions to target the deep brain and examine the effects, because of significant differences in the ventricles and deep brain regions between AD and normal groups.