• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.44-54
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• 2013

Objectives : To investigate the frequency and clinical characteristics of premenstrual syndrome(PMS)/premenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD) in high school students, and determine the correlates of PMS/PMDD in association with comorbid depression and anxiety. Methods : A total of 1688 students were recruited from 5 high schools in Seoul, Korea. Subjects completed the questionnaire composed of scales to measure premenstrual symptoms, depression, and anxiety, as well as sociodemographic and reproductive variables. Subjects were categorized into 3 groups by using the Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool(PSST) to determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of PMS/PMDD. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the correlates of PMS/PMDD. Results : The frequency of moderate to severe PMS and PMDD was 20.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Irritability(78.8%), fatigue(76.4%), and emotional sensitivity(69.8%) were common premenstrual symptoms, and functional impairment in academic performance(67.1%) was dominant. Dysmenorrhea[odd ratio(OR)=3.68, 95% confidence interval(CI) 2.45-5.55], family history of PMS(OR=1.91, 95% CI 1.35-2.71), and use of oral contraceptive (OR=1.85, 95% CI 1.16-2.94) were associated with the increased risk of PMS/PMDD after adjustment for depression and anxiety. Negative attitude to menses(OR=15.60, 95% CI 3.61-67.42) was associated with the increased risk of PMS/PMDD, particularly in subjects without depression and anxiety. Conclusions : PMS was common, as the frequency of PMS more than moderate severity including PMDD exceeded 25%, and disrupted daily functioning in adolescents. PMS is associated with various sociodemographic and menstrual characteristics, and these associations are affected by comorbid depression and anxiety.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.958-969
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• 1998

In this study, we attempted to investigate the needs and problems of the terminal cancer patients and their family caregivers to provide them with nursing information to improve their quality of life and prepare for a peaceful death. Data was collected from August 1, 1995 to July 31, 1996 at the internal medicine unit of S hospital in Seoul area with the two groups of participants who were family members of terminal cancer patients seventy four of them were in-patients and 34 were out-patients who were discharged from the same hospital for home care. The research tool used in this study has been developed by selecting the questionnaires from various references, modifying them for our purpose and refining them based on the results of preliminary study. While general background information about the patients was obtained by reviewing their medical records, all other information was collected by interviewing the primary family caregivers of the patients using the questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed with the SPSS PC/sup +/ program. The results of this study are summarized as follows ; 1) Most frequently complained symptoms of the terminal cancer patients were in the order of pain(87%), weakness(86.1%), anorexia(83.3%) and fatigue (80.6%). 2) Main therapies for the terminal cancer patients were pain control (58.3%), hyperalimentation(47.2%) and antibiotics(21.3%). 3) Special medical devices that terminal cancer patients used most were oxygen device (11.1%), and feeding tube(5.6%). Other devices were used by less than 5% of the patients. 4) The mobility of 70.4% of the patients was worse than ECOG 3 level, they had to stay in bed more than 50% of a day. 5) Patients wanted their medical staffs to help relieve pain(45.4%), various physical symptoms(29.6%), and problems associated with their emotion(11.1%). 6) 16.7% of the family caregivers hoped for full recovery of the patients, refusing to admit the status of the patients. Also, 37% wished for the extension of the patient's life at least for 6 months. 7) Only 38.9% of the family members was preparing for the patient's funeral. 8) 45.4% of family caregivers prefer hospital as the place for the patient's death, 39.8% their own home, and 14.8% undetermined. 9) Caregivers of the patients were mostly close family members, i.e., spouse(62%), and sons and daughters or daughter-in-laws(21.3%). 10) 43.5% of the family caregivers were aware of hospice care. 46.8% of them learned about the hospice care from the mass media, 27.7% from health professionals, and the rest from books and other sources. 11) Caregivers were asked about the most difficult problems they encounter in home care, 41 of them pointed out the lack of health professionals they can contact, counsel and get help from in case of emergency, 17 identified the difficulty of finding appropriate transportation to hospital, and 13 stated the difficulty of admission in hospital as needed. 12) 93.6% of family caregivers demanded 24-hour hot line, 80% the visiting nurses and doctors, and 69.4% the volunteer's help. The above results indicate that terminal patients and their family caregivers demand help from qualified health professionals whenever necessary. Hospice care system led by well-trained medical and nursing staffs is one of the viable answers for such demands.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2003

Objectives: Periodic leg movements in sleep (PLMS) might be subdivided based upon whether or not they are associated with visible EEG microarousals (MA). MA is considered to be responsible for nonrestorative sleep and daytime fatigue. The American Sleep Disorders Association's (ASDA) scoring rules for MA based on visual analysis of the EEG changes suggest that MA should last more than 3 seconds. However, it has been suggested that visual analysis may not detect some changes in EEG activity. This study is aimed at measuring changes in EEG spectra during PLMS without MA in order to better understand the arousing response of PLMS. Methods: Ten drug-free patients (three men and seven women) diagnosed with PLMS by polysomnography were studied. Spectral analysis of the EEG was performed in each patient on 30 episodes of PLMS without MA, chosen randomly across the night in stage 2 non-REM sleep. We applied stricter criteria for MA compared to ASDA, by defining it as a return to alpha and theta frequency lasting at least 1 second. Results: The mean PLMS index was $16.7{\pm}10.0$. The mean PLMS duration was $1.3{\pm}0.7$ seconds. Comparison of 4-second EEG activity both before and after the onset of PLMS without MA using independent t-test showed that the movements were associated with significant increase of relative activity in the delta band (p=0.000) and significant decrease of activity in the alpha (p=0.01) and sigma (p=0.000) bands. No significant decrease in the theta (p=0.05), beta (p=0.129), or gamma (p=0.062) bands was found. Conclusion: PLMS without MA was found to be associated with EEG change characterized by increase in the delta frequency band. This finding seems to be compatible with the hypothesis of an integrative hierarchy of arousal responses of Sforza's. Considering that the subjects had lower PLMS index and shorter PLMS duration than those of the previous study, it is suggested that an even less severe form of PLMS without MA could induce neurophysiologic change, which may potentially be of clinical significance.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.37-49
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• 1998

To make a objective diagnosis of the syndrome of cold-limbs, We investigated the 20 patients with cold limbs and GI trouble and 20 normal people as a control group. And we compared the thermal difference between Chon-jung(CV17) and Chung-wan(CV12 中脘), Chon-jung(CV17) and Ki-hae(氣海 CV6) and we compared the thermal differences of No-gung(PE8 勞宮) and Yong-chon(湧泉 KI1), too. The results were as follows. 1. All 20 patients had GI trouble and cold limbs. They had the symptom-Indigestion(16 cases-80%) with heart burn, tympanites, abdominal distention, hiccup, belching. Beside that symptom they also had constipation(6 cases-30%), diarrhea(3 cases-15%), headache & dizziness(6 cases-30%). And some had the menstrual syndrome, chronic fatigue, palpitation, insomnia, edema, arthralgia. 2. The thermal difference of the palms between the patients group and the control group were $25.70^{\circ}C,\;25.82^{\circ}C$, but they were not significant. 3. The thermal difference of the soles between the patients group and the control group were $23.58^{\circ}C,\;24.42^{\circ}C$ and the significancy was P=0.020 so it was significant(P<0.05). 4. The thermal difference of the palms and Chon-jung(CV17) between the patients group and the control group were $1.08^{\circ}C,\;0.76^{\circ}C$, but they were not significant. 5. The thermal difference of the sales and Chon-jung(CV17) between the patients group and the control group were $3.01^{\circ}C,\;1.90^{\circ}C$ and the significancy was P=0.003 so it was significant(P<0.05). 6. The thermal difference of Chon-jung(CV17) and Chung-wan(CV12 中脘) between the patients group and the control group was $0.30^{\circ}C,\;0.62^{\circ}C$ and the significancy was P=0.793 so it was significant(P<0.05). 7. The thermal difference of Chon-jung(CV17) and Ki-hae(CV6 氣海) between the patients group and the control group was $0.53^{\circ}C,\;0.68^{\circ}C$, but they were not significant. From the above, I could find the significance of D.I.T.I to diagnose the cold-feet not the cold-hands and the thermal difference between the trunk and limbs was more significant on cold-feet than on cold-hand, either.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.245-263
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• 2000

This study was conducted to provide the basic data about the health effects of pesticide exposure among farmers for agricultural health study. We analyzed 412 self-administered questionnaires collected from the male farmers who spray pesticides in Kyoung-ju area, Korea. Survey questions were about chronic symptoms, acute symptoms while pesticide spraying, pesticide intoxication accident, safety rules, protective equipments etc. The correlations among the variables related to pesticide exposure and the factors in acute pesticide poisoning and chronic symptoms of farmers were also analyzed. For chronic symptoms, the prevalence of 'tiredness and languor', 'lumbago', 'nocturia', 'shoulder pain', 'numbness', and, for acute symptoms while pesticide spraying, the experience rate of 'itching sense of skin', 'dizziness/headache', 'fatigue', 'eye glaring' were high compared with other symptoms. For 'experience of intoxication accident by pesticide in family', 7.1% of the subjects experienced the accident and the causes were pesticide spraying, food contamination by pesticide, suicide etc. Among safety rules, 'take a bath after spraying', 'change clothes after spraying' were kept relatively well, and, for protective equipments, hat, boots, mask, gloves, protective clothes(lower) were put on relatively well. The factors associated with acute pesticide poisoning were the extent of keeping safety rules, spraying time, orchard cultivation, agricultural area and spraying days per year etc. And the factors associated with chronic symptoms were acute symptoms while pesticide spraying, agricultural area, farming career, extent of keeping safety rules, extent of agricultural work and the pesticide exposure index etc. From these results, it is suggested that to reduce the health effects by pesticide exposure among farmers, the education to promote to keep safety rules and wear protective equipments, and information services should be recommended. And further studies on the long term health effects of pesticide exposure among farmers are required.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.137-149
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• 2002

Dong-Eui-Bo-Gham Oriental medicine clinic on the purpose of losing their weight, from March 1, 2001 to March 1, 2002. The characteristics studied were gender, average weight, average height, distribution of body fat rate, base body metabolism rate, distribution of bmi, purpose of losing weight, treatment history, cause of gaining weight, clinical symptoms, distribution of Sahsang constitution, and change of body constituent. The conclusions drawn from this study were: 1. Among patients who came to the clinic for weight loss, there were 16 females (80%), and 4 males (20%). The ratio of gener was 1 to 4 (male to female) The distribution of their ages were 1 in one's teens (5%), 6 in their 20s (30%), 7 in their 30s (35%), and 6 in their 40s (30%). 2. The average weight of the patients was 72.155kg, and their average height was 163.2 cm. 3. The body fat rates of patients were distributed as: 2 were below 25 (10%), 3 were 25 to 30 (15%), 8 were 30 to 35 (40%), 5 were 35 to 40 (25%), and 2 were 40 to 45 (10%). 4. The base body metabolism rates of the patients were distributed as: 1 was below 1000Kcal (5%), 6 were 1100 to 1200Kcal (30%), 5 were 1200 to 1300Kcal (25%), 6 were 1300 to 1400Kcal (30%), and 2 were 1400 to 1500Kcal (10%). 5. The distribution of the patients bmi was: 4 were below 20 (20%), 5 were 20 to 25 (5%), 11 were 25 to 30 (55%), and 4 were 30 to 35 (20%). 6. The patients visited the clinic to lose their weight for the follwoing purposes: 5 were related to health concerns (25%), and 15 were to imprve their physical apprearnce (75%). Among patients who wanted to lose their weight becase of health concerns, 4 were married (20%) and 1 was single (5%). Among patiens who wanted to lose their weight to improve their physical appearance, 6 were married (30%) and 9 were single (45%). 7. As for the past treatment methods, physical exercises were most frequently used (19 patiens, 43%). 14 tried diet (32%), 8 used food substitues (19%), 1 was treated through Western medicine, and 1 was not related to any of these (2%). 8. Main reasons for weight gains were: 12 were related to overeating (40%), 10 were stress (33%), and 8 were lack of physical exercise (27%). 9. Physical symptoms included: 15 were fatigue (29%), 14 were constipation (26%), 13 were body swelling (25%), 3 were headache (5%), menstruation pain (4%), one was stomach upset (2%), 2 were related to physical structure, and 2 were related to other (4%). 10. As for the distribution of Sahsang constitution, 10 were Taeum (50%), 9 were Sohyang (45%), and 1 was Sohum (5%). 11. The average muscle weight was 44.87kg, average abdomen fat rate was 0.8999, and average base body metabolism rate was1369.2Kcal. 12. For the 5-week period, The body fat rate changes were 35.93 1.56% to 30.40 1.98% for A group, and 34.27 1.19% to 31.73 1.38% for B group. The abomen fat rate changes were 0.90 0.02% to 0.86 0.03 for A group, and 0.89 0.02% to 0.83 0.02% for B group. The body fat weight changes were 26.92 2.04kg to 20.74 1.98kg for A group, and 27.86 3.37kg to 24.58 3.02kg for B group. The body weight chages were 72.36 3.18kg to 64.54 2.55kg for A group, and 72.48 3.14kg to 67.74 3.11kg for B group. The muscle rate changes were 43.86 1.63kg to 43.10 1.76kg for A group, and 42.72 1.22kg to 41.60 1.86kg for B group. Overall, A group was superior to B group. 13. After being treated for obesity, 13 patients used exercise treatment (65%), 5 continued to receive obesity treatment (25%), and 2 used diet (10%). Based on these results, we could conclude that the importande of setting a criterion of obesity and weight control have changed according to changes in social and cultural values, and that treatment of obesity through Oriental medicine and research should keep up with changes in esthetic and psychological values.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2015

Purpose: Fatigue, energy loss, feeling of helplessness, poor appetite, pain besides general weakness are major symptoms presented to terminally ill cancer patients. These symptoms are similar to those that appeared with adrenal insufficiency. Also, for terminally ill cancer patients who are hospitalized for palliative care, opioid agents are prescribed to control moderate to severe pain. We studied the relationship of opioid agents and adrenal insufficiency. Methods: From November 2013 through June 2014, we monitored the serum level of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS, serum) in 55 cancer patients who were over 18 years old and were treated at a hospice center. We also checked the treatment period and dosage of opioid agents. Results: The DHEAS level, treatment period and dosage of opioid agents did not have significant correlation. Correlation between the serum cortisol level and the opioid agent treatment period was not significant either, but the serum cortisol level was positively correlated with the dosage of opioid agents (P value 0.0322). Conclusion: This study did not identify a novel link between treatment period, dosage of opioid agents and adrenal insufficiency. But, the DHEAS level was mostly below the normal level in patients who were treated with opioid agents.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.216-222
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to identify the symptoms and care needs of home-based cancer patients in Korea and to add to the scarce literature on this topic. Methods: Data were collected from patients who subscribed to home-based cancer care services in Jinju. Assessments were performed by nurses at the local public health center. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System with a numeric rating scale (NRS) was used to identify symptoms, and a four-point Likert scale was used to assess psychological, social, and spiritual needs. Results: Cross-sectional data were collected in October 2013. A total of 209 patients participated and their median age was 65 years (range, 17~89 years). Most patients were diagnosed in the early stage of cancer (n=188); only 19 patients were diagnosed in the advanced stage. More than half the patients lived alone (n=115, 55.0%) and took care of themselves (n=128, 61.2%). Anorexia and fatigue were the most common symptoms (median NRS, 5 and 4, respectively). Patients needed economic support the most, whereas spiritual care was least needed (n=138 [67.3%] vs. n=128 [62.1%], respectively). Conclusion: Patients who signed up for home-based cancer care services in Jinju are struggling with a financial issue and physical symptoms. A customized approach is needed to improve the quality of the home-based care services.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.187-196
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• 2010

Recently, people have been suffering from stress-related fatigue and psychological disorders. Most people depend on medicine for pain relief; many treat pain also through alternative medicine or replacement therapy. However, drug therapy has many side effects, including increased stress after the therapy. In comparison, alternative therapies such as massage and foot reflexology are less damaging to the body, and such therapies can be provided without physical or psychological discomfort. In this regard, the author had previously co-developed color foot reflexology, which combines the merits of color therapy and foot reflexology; color foot reflexology has been shown to have beneficial effects without undue pain. This study investigates the effects of color foot reflexology on the physiological response of the body by comparing the body’s response to the signal with that to the placebo. Healthy adult subjects were selected for the experiment, which was conducted under optimal experimental conditions and design. The results indicated that when stimulated, parasympathetic nerves increased in HRV and that blood pressure, pulse, body heat, peripheral blood flow were dramatically activated. However, the results for the placebo indicated minimal changes or irregular outcomes. The results provide strong evidence for the beneficial effects of the color foot reflexology instrument on the autonomic nervous system and on the physiological response of the body. Future research is warranted to verify the results of the current study by examining patients suffering from diseases and disorders arising from irregular physiological functions in the context of the foot.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.29-42
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• 2013

In this paper, we analyze the effect of the depth perception, volume perception and visual discomfort according to the change of the quality of the depth image and the depth of the major object. For the analysis, a 2D image was converted to eighteen 3D images using depth images generated based on the different depth position of a major object and background, which were represented in three detail levels. The subjective test was carried out using eighteen 3D images so that the degrees of the depth perception, volume perception and visual discomfort recognized by the subjects were investigated according to the change in the depth position of the major object and the quality of depth map. The absolute depth position of a major object and the relative depth difference between background and the major object were adjusted in three levels, respectively. The details of the depth map was also represented in three levels. Experimental results showed that the quality of the depth image differently affected the depth perception, volume perception and visual discomfort according to the absolute and relative depth position of the major object. In the case of the cardboard depth image, it severely damaged the volume perception regardless of the depth position of the major object. Especially, the depth perception was also more severely deteriorated by the cardboard depth image as the major object was located inside the screen than outside the screen. Furthermore, the subjects did not felt the difference of the depth perception, volume perception and visual comport from the 3D images generated by the detail depth map and by the rough depth map. As a result, it was analyzed that the excessively detail depth map was not necessary for enhancement of the stereoscopic perception in the 2D-to-3D conversion.