• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.361-379
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• 2015

Objectives This study aims to review and summarize existing evidence on moxibustion treatment for cancer patients. Methods Literature published until May 2015 in international journals were searched on PubMed, CAJ (CNKI-Medicine), NDSL (National discovery for science leaders), Sage Journal, ScienceDirect, Taylor&Francis Online (HSS), and Wiley Interscience (including Blackwell); and articles in Korean journals were searched on Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS), DBPIA, E-Article, KSI e-book, New article, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), and Kyobo scholar. Results We analyzed 65 relevant studies. The number of studies conducted annually has increased and most are conducted in Korea and China. Moxibustion decreases the side effects of palliative treatment, thereby synergizing with anticancer treatment; it also improves the immune system, reduces tumor factors, and relieves symptoms. The mechanism of moxibustion is multi-fold: thermo, chemo, aero and kinetic. Only the kinetic effect is not significant. It also needs a complement to moxibustion because of harmful smoke. Conclusions Thus, the effect and mechanism of moxibustion in cancer patients was reviewed. There is an unmet need to develop a model of moxibustion and test it based on Korean medicine.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1410-1415
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• 2008

Acupuncture and herbal treatment are based on diagnosis of cold and heat pattern in Traditional Korean Medicine. This diagnosis is accomplished through pulse, tongue and question examination, which are not objective. Quantification and objectification of this diagnosis process are required for efficacious treatment and traditional medicine development. In this study, we developed the cold-heat pattern questionnaire for this purpose. Seventy nine patients who visited oriental medical hospital were included in this study. The cold-heat pattern questionnaire was composed of many questions about patient's physical condition, which were derived from The Traditional Oriental Medical Literature with Delphi Technique. Patients filled out the cold-heat pattern questionnaire by themselves. Diagnosis of cold and heat pattern are conducted separately by oriental medical doctors with more than 5 years' clinical experience. Various physical condition factors were derived for the cold-heat pattern questionnaire. (Preference temperature, Body temperature, Pain type, Face color, Urine, Stool and secretion features) Each cold and heat symptoms group acquired internal consistency. (Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ : Cold - 0.605, Heat - 0.722) There were significant associations between doctor's diagnosis and cold symptoms in 'Aversion to cold', 'Desire for heat', 'Pale face', 'Loose stools'. (p-value < 0.05) There were significant associations between doctor's diagnosis and heat symptoms in 'Desire for cold', 'Body feverishness', 'Thirst'. (p-value < 0.05) The internal consistency results suggest that the cold-heat pattern questionnaire assured reliability. Besides, these results showed that cold-heat symptoms are apt to appear together with, and this can be indirect evidence that diagnosis of cold-heat pattern is valuable for comprehension about disease pattern. Moreover, respective symptoms of cold-heat pattern showed different significance with doctor's diagnosis. Consequently these significant symptoms can be more considered for comprehension of cold-heat pattern.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2004

Primary malignancies of hard palate are rare, espicially adenocarcinoma of minor salivary gland in hard palate. The clinical stage of the tumor and its histologic grade at the time of treatment were significant predictors of survival. A 33-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage II, polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma of the hard palate and treated with surgery. We thougt that she would have excellent prognosis. After that, there was no definite evidence of recurrence during 3 months. Since then, the patient herself decided to discontunue follow-up. 9 years after that she came to the hospital due to both submandibular mass without any sign of local recurrence. CT scan and biopsy of the mass revealed multiple cervical metastatic adenocarcinoma without distant metastasis and the histologic findings were similar to that of the primary hard palate adenocarcinoma. So, we present this case with the review of literature.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.262-268
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• 2001

Objectives : To integrate the results of studies which assess an association between blood lead and blood pressure. Methods : We surveyed the existing literature using a MEDLINE search with blood lead and blood pressure as key words, including reports published from January 1980 to December 2000. The criteria for quality evaluation were as follows: 1) the study subjects must have been workers exposed to lead, and 2) both blood pressure and blood lead must have been measured and presented with sufficient details so as to estimate or calculate the size of the association as a continuous variable. Among the 129 articles retrieved, 13 studies were selected for quantitative meta-analysis. Before the integration of each regression coefficient for the association between blood pressure and blood lead, a homogeneity test was conducted. Results : As the homogeneity of studies was rejected in a fixed effect model, we used the results in a random effect model. Our quantitative meta-analysis yielded weighted regression coefficients of blood lead associated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure results of 0.0047 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.0061, 0.0155) and 0.0004 (95% CI: -0.0031, 0.0039), respectively. Conclusions : The published evidence suggested that there may be a weak positive association between blood lead and blood pressure, but the association is not significant.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.71-97
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• 2012

There has been an upward trend in smartphone sales in Korea as well as the rest of the world. Even though smartphones are now at the peak of their popularity, the fact that they are somewhat limited in terms of their usages for certain purposes is unexpected. Precisely, compared to PC, smartphones typically have smaller display screens with a lower resolution, which make them difficult to use in general. For instance, when customers search the information about products in mobile shopping malls, due to the smaller screen with a low resolution smartphone users may realize that it is not easy and convenient not only to search the information, but also to read the information they found in the shopping malls. This restriction could become one of reasons that lowers the perceived quality of information in the shopping malls, which in turn leads to the reluctance to use the shopping malls. A comprehensive information systems (IS) literature review found that there has been little empirical evidence on perceived information quality that affects smartphone users' intention to use mobile shopping malls. The purposes of this study is to examine 1) the effects of perceived information quality on smartphone users' intention to use mobile shopping malls and 2) the relationships among behavioral beliefs in the middle of independent and dependent variables, such as information satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and customers' attitude toward mobile shopping. A survey was conducted in March 2012. College students and practitioners took participated in the survey. Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) was used for all data analysis. The results found that there is a strong relationship between perceived information quality and smartphone users' intention to use mobile shopping malls. In addition, this study also showed that there are strong relationships among behavioral beliefs. Further research is expected to validate the findings of this study and apply them in specific contexts.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.280-285
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• 2015

Objectives: To suggest direction for improving policies by understanding current management of narcotics or psychotropic drugs and analyzing their distributions and usage. Method: We conducted a comparison analysis between health insurance claims and the amount supplied to health care institutions for narcotics or psychotropic drugs through health insurance claims data and drug distribution supply data from 2010 to 2012 collected from Korea Pharmaceutical Information Service Center (KPIS). Furthermore, we carried out literature investigation and online search to comprehend the current management of narcotics drugs in Korea. Results: The amount supplied to medical institutions for all drugs in 2012 was 19.4 trillion won, which increased from 19.5 trillion in 2011 by 0.54%. For narcotic drugs, the amount supplied was 318.4 billion won in 2011 and increased to 335.1 billion won by 5.3% in 2012, which exceeded the rate of increase for the amount supplied for all drugs. The proportion of amount claimed in the total amount supplied to medical institutions for all drugs was 60.5% in 2012, whereas the proportion of amount claimed for narcotic drugs was 55.6%, which showed that narcotic drugs were used relatively less within health insurance. Furthermore, management of the current domestic distribution supply data focuses on manufacturing and medical institution supply stages. Conclusion: Hereafter, the management of narcotics or psychotropic drugs needs to be improved by reinforcing active monitoring in optimal prescription and usage in patients by collecting and analyzing information on drug usage of patients.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.543-547
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• 2010

Plasmacytoma is a rare malignant neoplasm in the head and neck region and comprises approximately 3% of all plasma cell tumors. This lesion is a unifocal, monoclonal, neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells that usually arises within the bone. Infrequently, it is observed in soft tissue, in which case, the term extramedullary plasmacytoma is used. Approximately 80-90% of extramedullary plasmacytomas involve the mucos-Associated-Lymphoid Tissue of the upper airways with 75% of these involving the nasal and paranasal regions. The plasmacytoma is usually detected in adult males, with an average age at diagnosis of 55 years. The male-to-female ratio is 3:1.Radiographically, the lesion may be seen as a well-defined, unilocularradioluceny with no evidence of a sclerotic border. Some investigators believe that this lesion represents the least aggressive part of the spectrum of plasma cell neoplasms that extend to multiple myeloma.Therefore, plasma cytoma is believed to have clinical importance. We report a case of extramedullary plasmacytoma in the right maxillary sinus of a 59-year-old male with review of the relevant literature.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 2014

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is an idiopathic histioproliferative disorder of lymph node and extranodal site. Bone involvement is very rare. We report a case of extranodal RDD of the tibia in 32-year old male. The patient presented with pain with no evidence of lymphadenopathy. Clinico-radiologic diagnosis was metastatic carcinoma or Langerhans cell histiocytosis, but, histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis with RDD. We performed curettage on the osteolytic lesion of tibia. In South Korea, there was no report about RDD of the extremity and we want to report this case with review of the literature.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.167-174
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• 2017

Based on advances in biotechnology and neuroscience, neuromodulation is poised to gain clinical importance as a treatment modality for psychiatric disorders. In addition to old-established electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), clinicians are expected to understand newer forms of neurostimulation, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Given the growing interest in non-invasive neuromodulation technologies, clinicians may seek sufficient information about neuromodulation to inform their clinical practice. A growing literature suggests that applications of non-invasive neuromodulation have evidence particularly for indications where treatments are currently insufficient, such as drug-resistant depression. However, positive neuromodulation studies require replication, and the precise interactions among stimulation, antidepressant medication, and psychotherapy are unknown. Further studies of long-term safety and the impact on the developing brain are needed. Non-invasive neuromodulatory devices could enable more individualized treatment. However, do-it-yourself (DIY) stimulation kits require a better understanding of the effects of more frequent patterns of stimulation and raise concerns about clinical supervision, regulation, and reimbursement. Wide spread enthusiasm for therapeutic potential of neuromodulation in clinical practice settings should be mitigated by the fact that there are still research gaps and challenges associated with non-invasive neuromodulatory devices.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.300-308
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to classify determinants of cost increases into two categories, negotiable factors and non-negotiable factors, in order to identify the determinants of health care expenditure increases and to clarify the contribution of associated factors selected based on a literature review. Methods: The data in this analysis was from the statistical yearbooks of National Health Insurance Service, the Economic Index from Statistics Korea and regional statistical yearbooks. The unit of analysis was the annual growth rate of variables of 16 cities and provinces from 2003 to 2010. First, multiple regression was used to identify the determinants of health care expenditures. We then used hierarchical multiple regression to calculate the contribution of associated factors. The changes of coefficients ($R^2$) of predictors, which were entered into this analysis step by step based on the empirical evidence of the investigator could explain the contribution of predictors to increased medical cost. Results: Health spending was mainly associated with the proportion of the elderly population, but the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) showed an inverse association. The contribution of predictors was as follows: the proportion of elderly in the population (22.4%), gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (4.5%), MEI (-12%), and other predictors (less than 1%). Conclusions: As Baby Boomers enter retirement, an increasing proportion of the population aged 65 and over and the GDP will continue to increase, thus accelerating the inflation of health care expenditures and precipitating a crisis in the health insurance system. Policy makers should consider providing comprehensive health services by an accountable care organization to achieve cost savings while ensuring high-quality care.