• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2001

Background : Oxygen concentrators are convenient to operate and economical for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, oxygen concentrators are not manufactured domestically and the COPD patients are currently treated with imported oxygen concentrators. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of domestically developed prototype oxygen concentrator before clinical application, the efficacy and safety of the domestic oxygen concentrator were evaluate by comparing with the imported one. Material and Methods : The clinical tests were performed on 36 hyperhydrosis patients from April 1999 to August 1999. Domestic and imported oxygen concentrators were in turn applied to the same patient, who inspired oxygen for 60 minutes at a rate of 3 liters per minute through nasal prong. The oxygen concentrator, which was applied first, was randomly allocated. The arterial partial oxygen pressure ($PaO_2$) was estimated to compare the efficacy; and the carboxy hemoglobin(COHb), pH, arterial $CO_2$ partial pressure, pulse rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate to compare the safety before and after applying each oxygen concentrator. A student t-test was used to analyze the results. Result : In respect to efficacy, the difference in the change of $PaO_2$ before and after the application between two concentrators was not statistically significant. In respect to safety, the differences in the changes of COHb, pH, partial pressure of arterial $CO_2$, pulse rate, blood pressure, respiration rate between two concentrators were also not statistically significant. Conclusion : The domestically developed oxygen concentrator, showed satisfactory efficacy and safety when compared with the imported one.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.76-86
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• 2022

Ovarian cystectomy is the preferred technique for the surgical management of ovarian endometrioma. However, other techniques such as ablation or sclerotherapy are also commonly used. The aim of this review is to summarize information regarding the efficacy of ablation and sclerotherapy compared to cystectomy in terms of ovarian reserve, the recurrence rate, and the pregnancy rate. Several studies comparing ablation versus cystectomy or sclerotherapy versus cystectomy in terms of the serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) decrement, endometrioma recurrence, or the pregnancy rate were identified and summarized. Both ablation and cystectomy have a negative impact on ovarian reserve, but ablation results in a smaller serum AMH decrement than cystectomy. Nonetheless, the recurrence rate is higher after ablation than after cystectomy. More studies are needed to demonstrate whether the pregnancy rate is different according to whether patients undergo ablation or cystectomy. The evidence remains inconclusive regarding whether sclerotherapy is better than cystectomy in terms of ovarian reserve. The recurrence rates appear to be similar between sclerotherapy and cystectomy. There is not yet concrete evidence that sclerotherapy helps to improve the pregnancy rate via in vitro fertilization in comparison to cystectomy or no sclerotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3447-3450
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• 2014

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of bevacizumab concomitant with pemetrexed in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: A total of 72 patients were randomly divided into a combination group (pemetrexed+bevacizumab, n=36) and a pemetrexed group (n=36) and assessed for disease control (CR+PR+SD) after 4-cycles of first-line GP chemotherapy (gemcitabine+cisplatin). Clinical efficacy, progression-free survival time (PFS), overall survival time (OS), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and rate of adverse responses between two groups were observed and compared. Results: ORR and DCR were 27.8% and 83.4% in combination group, and 16.7% and 69.5% in the pemetrexed group, respectively, but there were no significant differences (P>0.05). PFS in combination group and pemetrexed group were 4.6 months and 3.9 months respectively (P=0.09), whereas OS in the combination group was 14 months, evidently higher than in the pemetrexed group (11 months, P=0.004). Adverse responses in both groups included high blood pressure, bleeding, thrombocytopenia, anemia, elevated transaminase, diarrhea, vomiting and proteinuria, but there were no significant differences (P>0.05). Conclusions: Bevacizumab concomitant with pemetrexed has better clinical efficacy and safety, giving rise to prolonged survival time in patients with advanced NSCLC.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.127-141
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• 2015

Silver-based systems activated by low intensity direct current continue to be investigated as an alternative antimicrobial for infection prophylaxis and treatment. However there has been limited research on the quantitative characterization of the antimicrobial efficacy of such systems. The objective of this study was to develop a semi-mechanistic pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model providing the quantitative relationship between the critical system parameters and the degree of antimicrobial efficacy. First, time-kill curves were experimentally established for a strain of Staphylococcus aureus in a nutrientrich fluid environment over 48 hours. Based on these curves, a modified PK/PD model was developed with two components: a growing silver-susceptible bacterial population and a depreciating bactericidal process. The test of goodness-of-fit showed that the model was robust and had good predictability ($R^2>0.7$). The model demonstrated that the current intensity was positively correlated to the initial killing rate and the bactericidal fatigue rate of the system while the anode surface area was negatively correlated to the fatigue rate. The model also allowed the determination of the effective range of these two parameters within which the system has significant antimicrobial efficacy. In conclusion, the modified PK/PD model successfully described bacterial growth and killing kinetics when the bacteria were exposed to the electrically activated silver-titanium implant system. This modeling approach as well as the model itself can also potentially contribute to the development of optimal design strategies for other similar antimicrobial systems.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.527-545
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• 2021

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the success rate of nitrous oxide-oxygen procedural sedation (NOIS) in dentistry. A systematic digital search was conducted for publications or reports of randomized controlled trials evaluating the clinical performance of NOIS. Abstracts of research papers were screened for suitability, and full-text articles were obtained for those who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria accordingly. The quality of the studies was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2). A total of 19 articles (eight randomized clinical trials with parallel intervention groups and 11 crossover trials), published between May 1988 and August 2019, were finally selected for this review. The studies followed 1293 patients reporting NOIS success rates, with a cumulative mean value of 94.9% (95% CI: 88.8-98.9%). Thirteen trials were conducted on pediatric populations (1098 patients), and the remaining six were conducted on adults (195 patients), with cumulative efficacy rates of 91.9% (95% CI: 82.5-98.1%) and 99.9% (95% CI: 97.7-100.0%), respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.002). Completion of treatment and Section IV of the Houpt scale were the most used efficacy criteria. Within the limitations of this systematic review, the present study provides important information on the efficacy rate of NOIS. However, further well-designed and well-documented clinical trials are required and there is a need to develop guidelines for standardization of criteria and definition of success in procedural sedation. Currently, completion of treatment is the most used parameter in clinical practice, though many others also do exist at the same time. To maximize NOIS efficacy, clinicians should strictly consider appropriate indications for the procedure.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.505-514
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine their levels of knowledge of the kidney, self-efficacy, and kidney function in pre-dialysis patients with chronic renal insufficiency. Methods: A total of 142 pre-dialysis patients with chronic renal insufficiency were recruited from a nephrology clinic of a hospital in Korea. Participants' knowledge of the kidney, self-efficacy, and kidney function were measured, and the correlations between these factors were computed. Results: The levels of knowledge of the kidney were moderate, with a mean score of $12.30{\pm}5.35$. Knowledge level was significantly correlated with age, education level, occupation, income, physical symptoms, and information resources (p<.05). The mean score for self-efficacy was $6.06{\pm}2.00$. Self-efficacy was significantly associated with patients' age, education level, occupation, income, cigarette use, and information resources (p<.05). The mean score for kidney function was $35.66{\pm}18.68mL/min/1.73m^2$. Kidney function was significantly correlated with use of medications and drinking behavior (p<.05). Knowledge of the kidney was significantly correlated with self-efficacy (r=.31, p<.001), but not with kidney function. There was a significant correlation between self-efficacy and kidney function (r=.30, p<.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that self-efficacy and drinking behavior accounted for 11% of the variance in kidney function of pre-dialysis patients with chronic renal insufficiency. Conclusion: Nursing interventions are necessary to increase self-efficacy among pre-dialysis patients with chronic renal insufficiency in order to maintain their kidney function.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of table tennis program on self efficacy, cardiopulmonary function, serum lipids, catalase activity in the physical disabilities. Method: Physical disabilities were allocated to one of two groups: control group (n=7), experiment group (n=8). The experiment group took table tennis program four times a week for 12 weeks. Self efficacy was measured by questionnaire. Serum lipid profiles, catalase and cardiopulmonary function were checked after the exercise program and compared with pre-exercise data. Result: Self efficacy was significantly higher in the table tennis group. Maximum oxygen consumption and forced vital capacity were significantly increased and heart rate at rest was decreased in the table tennis group. Total cholesterol and triglyceride were decreased in the table tennis group. There was no significant change in catalase activity between two groups. Conclusion: These results indicate that table tennis program has positive effects on the health of the physical disabilities by improving the self efficacy and cardiopulmonary function and serum cholesterol profile.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.512-521
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• 2022

Since the main symptoms of COVID-19 involve the respiratory system, the infection rate of this disease is predicted to be higher in patients with other respiratory conditions such as allergic rhinitis. In such a situation, it will be meaningful to conduct research on an allergy treatment that has fewer side effects and can effectively reduce allergy symptoms. Here, we prepared experimental samples under various fermentation conditions with mixed extracts of six medicinal plants. To examine the anti-allergic efficacy of these samples, an egg albumin-induced allergic rhinitis animal model experiment, a serum histamine and IgE experiment, and a COX and LO inhibitory activity experiment were conducted. As a result of animal experiments, OVA+SP-4 showed superior efficacy compared to OVA+SP-1 in nasal rubbing and sneezing experiments and had anti-allergic efficacy similar to that of OVA-cetirizine. The serum histamine concentration of OVA+SP-4 was also 1.3 times higher than that of the OVA+cetirizine group, showing a high histamine reduction ability, and IgE showed the same trend. An analysis of COX inhibitory efficacy also confirmed that COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory efficacy is high, and the longer the fermentation time, the higher the antiallergic efficacy. The composition proposed by this study is expected to have a significant effect on sustainable allergy prevention and treatment in the future by applying it to human patients.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2011

Objectives This trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Red Ginseng by oriental medical obesity syndrome differentiation on obese women as compared to placebo. Methods 50 obese women were recruited and randomized to receive Korean Red Ginseng(n=24) or placebo(n=26) for 8 weeks. Anthropometric factors, serum lipid, glucose, blood pressure, pulse rate, resting metabolic rate, Korean version of obesity-related quality of life(KOQOL) scale and oriental medical obesity syndrome differentiation questionnaire were measured at baseline and 8 weeks. Adeverse events and safety outcomes variables were also checked during trials. Results and Conclusion There was significant efficacy of Red Ginseng on obese women in body weight, body fat mass, waist-hip ratio, food intake, KOQOL as compared with baseline. But there was no efficacy as compared with placebo group except KOQOL. There was no difference of efficacy compared with the oriental medical obesity syndrome differentiation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.4993-4996
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• 2015

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of albumin-bound paclitaxel-based chemotherapy in treatment for patients with advanced esophageal cancer who failed in first-line chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: We collected29 advanced esophageal cancer patients who received albumin-bound paclitaxel-based chemotherapy fromJune 2009 to September 2013, and the efficacy and safety of the compound were evaluated. These patients were treated with $100-150mg/m^2$ nab-paclitaxel on days 1,8. The cycle was repeated every 3 weeks. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every two cycles. Results: Of the 29 patients, two persons interrupted treatment because of adverse reactions, failed to evaluate efficacy effect. The rest of 27 patients who could be evaluated for short-term response, 10 patients (37%) achieved partial response, 2 (7.4%) remained stable disease, and 15 (55.6%) had progressivedisease. The objective response rate was 37%, and the disease control rate was 44.4%.The median time to progression was 6.6 months.The major adverse reactions includedalopecia (62.07%), neutropenia (65.5%), gastrointestinalreaction (10.3%) andsensory neuropathy(6.8%). Conclusions: The albumin-bound paclitaxel-based chemotherapy is efficacy and safety in treatment for patients with advanced esophageal cancer who failed in first-line chemotherapy.