• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.7.1-7.12
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• 2018

Recent findings from The Cancer Genome Atlas project have provided a comprehensive map of genomic alterations that occur in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including unexpected mutations in apolipoprotein B (APOB). We aimed to determine the clinical significance of this non-oncogenetic mutation in HCC. An Apob gene signature was derived from genes that differed between control mice and mice treated with siRNA specific for Apob (1.5-fold difference; P < 0.005). Human gene expression data were collected from four independent HCC cohorts (n = 941). A prediction model was constructed using Bayesian compound covariate prediction, and the robustness of the APOB gene signature was validated in HCC cohorts. The correlation of the APOB signature with previously validated gene signatures was performed, and network analysis was conducted using ingenuity pathway analysis. APOB inactivation was associated with poor prognosis when the APOB gene signature was applied in all human HCC cohorts. Poor prognosis with APOB inactivation was consistently observed through cross-validation with previously reported gene signatures (NCIP A, HS, high-recurrence SNUR, and high RS subtypes). Knowledge-based gene network analysis using genes that differed between low-APOB and high-APOB groups in all four cohorts revealed that low-APOB activity was associated with upregulation of oncogenic and metastatic regulators, such as HGF, MTIF, ERBB2, FOXM1, and CD44, and inhibition of tumor suppressors, such as TP53 and PTEN. In conclusion, APOB inactivation is associated with poor outcome in patients with HCC, and APOB may play a role in regulating multiple genes involved in HCC development.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.75-93
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• 2017

Recently, global competition in the manufacturing sector is driving firms in the manufacturing sector to conduct product innovation projects to maintain their competitive edge. The key points of product innovation projects are 1) what the purpose of the project is and 2) what expected results in the target market can be achieved by implementing the innovation. Therefore, this study focuses on the performance of innovation projects with a business viewpoint. In this respect, this study proposes the "achievement rate" of product innovation projects as a measurement of project performance. Then, this study finds the best strategies from various innovation activities to optimize the achievement rate of product innovation projects. There are three major innovation activities for the projects, including three types of R&D activities: Internal, joint and external R&D, and five types of non-R&D activities - acquisition of machines, equipment and software, purchasing external knowledge, job education and training, market research and design. This study applies decision tree modeling, a kind of data-mining methodology, to explore effective innovation activities. This study employs the data from the 'Korean Innovation Survey (KIS) 2014: Manufacturing Sector.' The KIS 2014 gathered information about innovation activities in the manufacturing sector over three years (2011-2013). This study gives some practical implication for managing the activities. First, innovation activities that increased the achievement rate of product diversification projects included a combination of market research, new product design, and job training. Second, our results show that a combination of internal R&D, job training and training, and market research increases the project achievement most for the replacement of outdated products. Third, new market creation or extension of market share indicates that launching replacement products and continuously upgrading products are most important.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2019

In the modern industrial period, the introduction of mass production was most important progress in civilization. Die-casting process is one of main methods for mass production in the modern industry. The aluminum die-casting in the mold filling process is very complicated where flow momentum is the high velocity of the liquid metal. Actually, it is almost impossible in complex parts exactly to figure the mold filling performance out with the experimental knowledge. The aluminum die-castings are important processes in the automotive industry to produce the lightweight automobile bodies. Due to this condition, the simulation is going to be more critical role in the design procedure. Simulation can give the best solution of a casting system and also enhance the casting quality. The cost and time savings of the casting layout design are the most advantage of Computer Aided Engineering (CAE). Generally, the relations of casting conditions such as injection system, gate system, and cooling system should be considered when designing the casting layout. Due to the various relative matters of the above conditions, product defects such as defect extent and location are significantly difference. In this research by using the simulation software (AnyCasting), CAE simulation was conducted with three layout designs to find out the best alternative for the casting layout design of an automotive Oil Pan_BJ3E. In order to apply the simulation results into the production die-casting mold, they were analyzed and compared carefully. Internal porosities which are caused by air entrapments during the filling process were predicted and also the results of three models were compared with the modifications of the gate system and overflows. Internal porosities which are occurred during the solidification process are predicted with the solidification analysis. And also the results of the modified gate system are compared.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.1206-1224
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• 2018

Purpose: This systematic review was planned and performed in order to determine the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: We searched related randomized controlled trials in several medical online databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Public/Publisher MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), National Digital Science Library (NDSL), and Research Information Sharing Service (RISS). NAFLD related outcomes were extracted from the included trials and meta-analyzed. Results: From the 8 included trials, the values of the following examinations were extracted: liver ultrasonography, liver CT, body fat CT, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, fasting blood sugar (FBS), hosmeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), weight, body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), obesity degree, body fat mass, body fat rate, leptin, malondialdehyde (MDA), and super oxide dismutase (SOD). In the 4 outcomes, cure rate in liver ultrasonography (RR=1.56; 95%CI=1.05~2.31; P=0.03), cure rate in liver CT (RR=2.23; 95%CI=1.33~3.72; P=0.002), TC (MD=-0.78; 95%CI=-1.41~-0.15; P=0.02), and TG (MD=-2.05; 95%CI=-3.88~-0.21; P=0.03), acupuncture was more effective than the control intervention. Conclusions: In this meta-analysis, acupuncture relieved hepatic steatosis, and reduced TC, and TG in NAFLD patients. more well-planned studies are still needed due to the heterogeneity and the considerable methodological flaws in the analyzed trials.

• Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.128-133
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• 2018

Appropriate prescription writing is one of the critical medical processes affecting the quality of public health care. However, this is a complex task for newly qualified intern doctors because of its complex characteristics requiring sufficient knowledge of medications and principles of clinical pharmacology, skills of diagnosis and communication, and critical judgment. This study aims to gather data on the current status of undergraduate prescribing education in South Korea. Two surveys were administered in this study: survey A to 26 medical schools in South Korea to gather information on the status of undergraduate education in clinical pharmacology; and survey B to 244 intern doctors in large hospitals to gather their opinions regarding prescribing education and ability. In survey A, half of the responding institutions provided prescribing education via various formats of classes over two curriculums including lecture, applied practice, group discussions, computer-utilized training, and workshops. In survey B, we found that intern doctors have the least confidence when prescribing drugs for special patient populations, especially pregnant women. These intern doctors believed that a case-based practical training or group discussion class would be an effective approach to supplement their prescribing education concurrently or after the clerkship in medical schools or right before starting intern training with a core drug list. The results of the present study may help instructors in charge of prescribing education when communicating and cooperating with each other to improve undergraduate prescribing education and the quality of national medical care.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

Objectives This review aims to analyze the current research trend in the usage of bee venom (BV) acupuncture for spinal diseases. Methods We collected 80 articles on BV acupuncture clinical study for spinal diseases by searching Korean web databases 'Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation', 'Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System', 'Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal' from 1999 to 2018. Results We summarized the most frequent clinical treatment methods of BV acupuncture. 1. Herniated intervertebral disc was treated for 40% and the treated spinal diseases were various. 2. '1:10,000' in the type of BV was chosen for 21%. 3. 29% of studies used 6-7 acupoints per session and 23% of studies used 'BL' as the injection site. 3. The highest volume of injected BV into each acupoint was 0.1 cc for 34% and the highest total volume of injected BV was 1.0 cc for 39%. Conclusions We found the limited evidence on the lack of consensus and detailed description in the reported experimental design. The results in this review suggest that future works should focus on more consistent and systematic study for the reproducible and standardized treatment methods.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.340-350
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• 2021

Objectives: Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a common adverse effect of chemotherapy in cancer patients. This review synthesizes research results to assess the effect of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) on HFS in cancer patients. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Research Information Sharing Service, China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the effects of TKM on HFS. The effects and quality of RCTs were assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool. Results: Six RCTs met our study criteria. In all six, TKM showed improvement in HFS symptoms as well as quality of life scores when compared to the control group. However, the methodological quality of RCTs was relatively low due to the unclear or high ROB. Conclusions: TKM would be helpful to patients with HFS after chemotherapy. To clarify the clinical efficacy of TKM, well-designed studies are required in the future.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.415-429
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the Self-Care Non-adherence Risk Assessment Scale (SCNRAS) for patients with chronic illness in South Korea. Methods: This study was conducted from April to July, 2020 and utilized a convenience sampling method to recruit 336 patients with chronic illness from three hospitals located in South Korea. The content, factorial structure, item-convergent/discriminant validity, convergent validity, internal consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability of the scale were evaluated. The data were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Pearson's correlation coefficient, Cronbach's α, and intra-class correlation coefficient. Results: The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded six-factors. Convergent validity was demonstrated using measures of defining issues. Internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability were found to be acceptable, as indicated by a Cronbach's α of .65~.81 and an intra-class correlation coefficient of .93~.98. The Self-Care Non-adherence Risk Assessment Scale for patients with chronic illness is a new instrument that comprehensively measures the knowledge, skill, physical function status, access to health care, social support, motivation, and confidence. It comprises 18 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The validity and reliability of the scale were verified. Conclusion: The scale developed through this study is expected to screen those who need nursing intervention early by predicting the self-care non-adherence risk group.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.113-120
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• 2022

Purpose : Lymphedema is a common complication in mastectomy patients and is usually characterized by pain, swelling, and limited range of motion (ROM) in the arm. Electromyostimulation (EMS) is widely used for the rehabilitation and recovery of subjects with various neuromusculoskeletal disorders after breast cancer. However, EMS has not yet been used in many Pilates exercises. This study was aimed at comparing the effects of instrument Pilates integrated with EMS on pain, lymphedema, and ROM of the upper extremity (UE) in breast cancer subjects after mastectomy. Methods : Nine female breast cancer subjects who had undergone mastectomy participated in the study. The subjects underwent instrument Pilates with EMS (experimental group) or instrument Pilates only (control group). Pain, lymphedema, and ROM of the UE were measured using the visual analog scale (VAS), the circumference length of the UE, and the ROM of the UE. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the pain, lymphedema, and ROM of the arm before and after the intervention, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups. The statistical significance level was set to p < .05. Results : In the experimental group, there were significant differences in pain (p<.05) and UE circumference (p<.05) before and after intervention. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in VAS (p>.05) or circumference length of the UE (p>.05). There was one significant difference between the groups in terms of internal rotation of the ROM of the UE (p<.05). Conclusion : These results show that instrument Pilates exercises combined with EMS may positively affect the internal rotation of the ROM of the UE in breast cancer patients after mastectomy, thus contributing to existing knowledge about instrument Pilates using EMS for the effective management of in breast cancer subjects after mastectomy.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.15-44
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• 2023

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the types of childhood simple obesity and suggest clinical symptoms, treatment principles, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments for each type. Methods All kinds of literature published by the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to August 20, 2022 were analyzed. We extracted information about types of childhood simple obesity, relevant clinical symptoms, treatment principles and TCM treatments. Results 25 studies were included. Spleen deficiency with dampness obstruction, gastrointestinal dampness-heat, internal excess of phlegm-dampness were the most reported. Spleen deficiency with dampness obstruction has symptoms of powerless, heavy limbs, pale tongue, teeth-marked tongue, sunken and slippery pulse. As a treatment, herbal medicine (HM) like modified Banggihwanggitang and acupoint like Joksamri were mainly reported. Gastrointestinal dampness-heat has symptoms of thirst, constipation, edacity, rapid hungering, heavy limbs, red tongue, slippery and rapid pulse. HM like Modified Xiehuangsan to clear heat was mainly reported. Internal excess of phlegm-dampness has symptoms of heavy limbs, lack of strength, tongue with white slimy fur, slippery pulse. Modified Ijintang to dry dampness to resolve phlegm was mainly reported. Conclusions This study analyzed types of pattern, clinical symptoms, treatment principles, and TCM treatments of childhood simple obesity. Based on this study, it is necessary to derive a standardized dialectical information that reflects the domestic situation.