• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.27-37
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• 2002

During acute stages of hospitalized stroke patients, family caregivers face many challenges. They often experience emotional distress, social isolation, and financial constraints. However, the burden of caregiving of stroke patients in acute stages has never been studied properly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors related to the caregivers' burden with acute stroke. The subjects were 123 acute stroke patients and their caregivers who were admitted to neurology and neurosurgery units at Dan Kook University Hospital in Chung-Nam area. An interview was performed with the use of standardized questionnaire which included data pertaining to the patients/caregivers characteristics, caregiver burden (Modified Zarit's Burden Scale), and social support (Personal Resource Questionnaire). Our results showed that the mean burden score was 3.11, indicating high level of burden. Among the sub-domain scores, financial burden was the highest. In univariate analysis, the factors related to caregiver burdens were: inability to communicate between patients and caregiver(p<.001); low cognitive function of the patients(p<.001); low level of ADL(p<.001); the gender of caregiver(p<.001); the current employment status of caregivers(p<.01); the presence of social support for caregiver(p<.001); and the availability of alternative caregivers(p<.001). In multiple regression analysis, social support for family caregivers (87%), low level of patient's cognition (2%), availability of 2nd caregiver (1%), and gender of caregiver (female, 0.4%) were significant explanatory factors of overall burden. The caregivers' burden in acute stages during hospitalization following stroke was high. Recognition of high levels of caregivers' burden and those relating factors affecting caregiver burden may allow us to develop different nursing strategies to unload the level of burden for caregivers in acute stages of stroke.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to discuss the role of integrative medicine (IM) in contemporary health care settings, and how and which factors affect and facilitate the success of IM in terms of the integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and conventional medicine in primary health care (PHC). IM is meant to provide the best possible health care, for both patient and physician. The way of IM use in the developed countries presents various ways that IM can be provided, and it appears that strategies have been successfully developed to facilitate integration. Although few of the barriers to the integration of CAM and conventional medicine have been resolved, concerns over the legitimacy of CAM in health care (e.g., safety, biomedical evidence, and efficacy) are being overcome by the use of evidence-based practice in IM delivery. There are dominant models of IM that have been developed. The model types signify different levels of equity between CAM and conventional medicine in regard to the power, autonomy, and control held by each. However, the factors common to all IM models, whether describing CAM as supplementary or complementary to conventional medicine, is the concept of a health care model that aspires to be client-centred and holistic, with focus on health rather than disease as well as mutual respect among peer practitioners. Finally, this study concluded that the growth and viability of traditional Korean medicine(TKM) depend on evidence-based practices and identifying the successful influences on the integration of TKM and conventional medicine for recognition of its inherent value in PHC. Some recommendations for the integration of TKM and conventional medicine were suggested.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-40
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• 2010

Ectopic hamartomatous thymoma is a rare benign tumor of the lower neck occurring in the male adult predominantly. The origin of this tumor has been debated, but it is now believed to arise from remnants of the cervical sinus of His from early development. They are composed of epithelial, adipocytic, and spindle cells in variable amounts. Recognition of ectopic harmatomatous thymoma is important and needs to be differentiated from high-grade sarcomas such as synovial sarcoma or glandular malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. We here report on a case of ectopic hamartomatous thymoma arising in the left lateral neck of 33-year-old male patient.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2010

Objectives Taking detailed patient history helps earlier diagnosis and treatment of developmental disability. In this study we analyzed the clinical questionnaire to find out the clinical characteristics of those with five-retardation, five-limpness, or five-stiffness. Methods The data was collected from 484 children under the age of six who have visited H oriental medicine clinic for developmental delay. The clinical questionnaire was filled out by their parents and the data was analyzed statistically. Results 436 children showed symptoms of five-retardation, 90 children suffered from five-stiffness, 54 children showed five-limpness and 7 children suffered from five-stiffness and five-limpness complex. Generally, boys had higher chance to show disease symptoms than the girls (2.32:1) and 40 children (8.26%) reported family history of developmental disability. Cerebral palsy ranks the most common familial disease, followed by developmental delay, mental retardation, autistic disorder and language disorder. Among the children we have studied, 285 children (63.19%) showed delayed unassisted walk while 192 children (42.57%) had language disorder. Also, 138 children (28.51%) had both walk and language disorders. The children in this study also showed delayed toilet training and half of them had little stranger anxiety when they were infants. It was also found that 120 children (24.79%) experienced epilepsy. This study reaffirmed that low birth weight, premature birth, and suffocation are major risks causing neurological damage. Conclusions They had history which including family history, problems at birth, epilepsy, face recognition, muscle tone disorder, delayed walking without assistance, language ability, and toilet training.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2013

Background: The prevalence of extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli is increasing rapidly worldwide. Treatment options for ESBL-producing E. coli are limited, and infections caused by this organism are associated with improper antibiotic use, a long hospital stay, and increased mortality. Thus, the assessment and early recognition of the risk factors of nosocomial infections due to ESBL-producing E. coli are important for the infection control and proper treatment. Methods: A case-control study was performed that included nosocomial episodes of ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia at a tertiary care hospital from January 2004 to December 2007. For each case patient, three controls were randomly selected and data on predisposing factors were collected. Results: Fifty-five cases of nosocomial ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia were studied. Carbapenem usage (OR: 11.3, 95% CI: 1.1-115.9, p=0.041), quinolone usage (OR: 4.5, 95% CI: 1.1-18.8, p=0.042), biliary obstructive disease (OR: 11.8, 95% CI: 3.0-46.7, p<0.001) and the APACHE II score (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2- 1.5, p<0.001) were analyzed as independent risk factors of nosocomial ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia. Conclusion: Our results showed that physicians caring for patients with risk factors of nosocomial bacteremia should consider ESBL-producing E. coli as the causative organisms of the disease.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.179-184
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• 2018

Diphencyprone (DPCP) is frequently used as a compounded preparation in dermatology for the treatment of alopecia and recalcitrant warts based on the immune reaction of skin allergy. However, DPCP is a non-recognized agent in Pharmacopoeia, because there are no criteria or analytical method for quality control of its powder and formulation. DPCP is unstable under light irradiation because as it easily decomposes to diphenylacetylene (DPA). This study aims to develop a simultaneous HPLC analytical method for analyzing DPCP and DPA in the raw materials and compounded preparation. The method required a C18 column ($250{\times}4.6mm$, $5{\mu}m$) at $40^{\circ}C$ with a mobile phase of (A) 0.01 M phosphoric acid in water and (B) acetonitrile at UV 220 nm. DPA conversion to DPCP in the powder and compounded preparations was accelerated after light exposure for 60 min. In addition, this resulted in different patterns depending on the wavelength of light and the formulation. That is, DPCP in compounded preparation was more unstable than that in the powder. However, the DPCP formulation in amber bottles was observed to remain stable, although the measured concentrations of DPCP were somewhat different from the nominal concentration of the compounded preparations. The control of the exact concentration is required for effective disease treatment, depending on the state of the patient. In conclusion, these results will be useful for the recognition of DPCP in Pharmacopoeia and new DPCP formulation development to prevent photodecomposition.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.111-115
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• 2017

Blood pressure is one of the important vital signs for monitoring the medical condition of a patient. Automated NIBP(non-invasive blood pressure) monitoring devices calculate systolic and diastolic blood pressures from the oscillation in cuff pressure caused by a pulsation of an artery. To validate the NIBP devices, we developed a simulator to supply the oscillometric waveforms obtained from human subjects. The simulator provided pressure pulses to device-under-test and device readings were compared to the auscultatory references. Fully automated simulation system including OCR(optical character recognition) were developed and used for NIBP monitoring devices. The validation results using the simulator agreed well with previous clinical validation. More validation studies using the standardized oscillometric waveforms would be required for the replacement of clinical trials to validate a new automated NIBP monitoring device.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.74-78
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• 2006

Objective : We examined the incidence of fenestration in the proximal segment of the anterior cerebral artery[ACA] and reviewed its clinical significance. Methods : Cerebral angiography was performed in 843 patients and magnetic resonance angiography[MRA] in 1,787; all patients had, or were suspected to have, cerebrovascular disease. We subsequently reviewed the angiography and MRA data. Results : Fourteen patients [six men and eight women, $35{\sim}81$ years of age, median age = 67 years] had proximal ACA fenestrations. Three of the 843 patients [0.36%] undergoing cerebral angiography had fenestrations of proximal ACA as did eleven of the 1,787 MRA patients [0.62%]. Seven fenestrations were located on the right side and seven fenestrations were located on the left side. The fenestrated ACA in one patient was associated with a saccular aneurysm at its proximal end. None of the 120 patients who underwent both conventional cerebral angiography and cranial MRA showed fenestration of proximal ACA. Conclusion : Although fenestration of ACA has little clinical significance, knowledge and recognition of this condition is important in the interpretation of cerebral images, especially during neurosurgical procedures.

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.1150-1158
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• 2009

Since equipment currently being used in the department of radiological technology comes into contact with patients carrying diseases, there inevitably will be the existence of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, in order to increase the importance of using disinfectant in hospital infection precaution and the recognition of hospital infection management, comparisons were made by measuring the bacterial contamination levels in radiology room within the department of radiological technology and comparing the measurements with post disinfection levels. Disinfecting the rooms from detected bacteria was conducted with water, tissue cleaner, or 70% alcohol. When measuring bacterial contamination levels in radiology rooms, a variety of bacteria was detected. When disinfecting the interior of radiology rooms the effectiveness of destroying bacteria and preventing hospital infection was greatest when using 70% alcohol compared to water, tissue cleaner and ventilation. Therefore, there needs to be a development of a better antiseptic for destroying bacteria because there is a possibility for hospital medical equipment to be constantly contaminated. Efforts need to be made to prevent hospital infections and patient secondary infection by disinfecting and sterilizing equipment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.3051-3056
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• 2015

Background: Skin self-examination (SSE) may facilitate early diagnosis of melanoma at a potentially curable stage. Little data are available concerning the SSE frequency and knowledge about the symptoms of melanoma in non-patient populations. The aim of our study was to assess the performance of skin self-examination, recognition of potential melanoma symptoms as well as behavior related to sun exposure among web users in Poland. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among readers of a scientific portal. Invited respondents were asked to complete an online questionnaire. Finally, statistical analysis was conducted on 4,919 surveys towards potential clinical signs of melanoma and SSE performance. Results: Approximately 60% of respondents had ever performed SSE in their life. Only 18.4 % declared performance on a regular, monthly, basis. Factors promoting this activity were established to be bigger place of residence, higher education and sensitive skin phototype, higher level of knowledge concerning melanoma, safe tanning rules and, especially, past surgical excision of naevi. Declared longer use of tanning beds was linked to understanding better the importance of clinical features of melanoma. Awareness of hazardous behavior during sunbathing is associated with the attempts to change them. Conclusions: Regular SSE is not a common practice, whilst the knowledge about the clinical features of melanoma is varied. Therefore, constant pressure should be put on promotion of regular skin self-examination and teaching its proper techniques, including familiarity with the ABCD (asymmetry; border; color; diameter) rule and its extension of "EFG" (elevated, firm, progressive growth) criteria.