• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.144-152
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to develop morning bread using powdered citrus peels and to examine the effect of its several biological activities for 12 weeks in overweight adults ($$BMI{\geq_-}23$$) living in dormitories of Chonbuk National University. Methods: Control bread was prepared using the same formula except for replacing the wheat flour with 3% citrus peel powder. Subjects were classified according to two groups: Intake group of 3% citrus peel powder fortified morning bread (n = 30) and general morning bread (n = 30). Results: The results of our study showed no significant effects of citrus peel powdered morning bread on anthropometric indices and biochemical characteristics among overweight adults. Despite the slight reduction in total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, GOT, and GPT (p < 0.05), no significant differences in changes of these values were observed between the two groups. Conclusion: The short duration of our intervention might have resulted in the lack of any significant effect. Therefore, conduct of further studies with longer duration is warranted in order that the results from this study can be utilized as a basis for the development of food products with citrus peel powder.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.69-87
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• 2003

Background : LB20304(gemifloxacin) is a new fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent with excellent activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. In vitro studies using clinical isolates have shown gemifloxacin to be highly active against penicillin-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae and in contrast to other reference quinolones, gemifloxacin retained good activity against clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae that were resistant to other members of the quinolone class. Therefore, gemifloxacin is thought to be effective in treating acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis(AECB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days for the treatment of AECB in Korean adult population. Methods : This was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel group Phase II study to assess the clinical and antibacterial efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin for the treatment of AECB. Treatment Group A (67 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 160mg once daily for seven days and treatment Group B (70 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 320mg once daily for seven days. Results : The demographic profiles of the two treatment groups were similar. The clinical response at follow-up was 84.2% in the gemifloxacin 160-mg group, and 88.7% in the gemifloxacin-320 mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.49). The clinical response at the end of therapy was 96.5% in the 160-mg group, and 96.4% in the 320-mg group. The bacteriological response at the end of therapy and follow-up were 81.8% and 78.9%, respectively, in the 160-mg group, and 86.4% and 84.2%, respectively, in the 320-mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.68 and 0.68, respectively). S. pneumoniae(12 isolates) and H. influenzae(10 isolates) were the most prevalent pathogens. The MICs were lower for gemifloxacin than other quinolones against these key pathogens, and for S. pneumoniae, the MICs for gemifloxacin were considerably lower(${\leq}0.03$ ug/mL) than those for other quinolones, beta-lactams and macrolides. In the period on-therapy plus 30 days post-therapy, a total of 18 patients(26.9%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 22 patients(31.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one adverse event(AE). The most frequently reported AE was abdominal pain(3/67 patients, 4.5%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and increased level of hepatic enzyme(5/70 patients, 7.1%) in the 320mg group. The overall AE profiles for the two treatment groups were similar. Two out of 67 patients(3.0%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 1/70 patients(1.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one serious AE, however, none of which was considered by the investigator to be of suspected or probable relationship to study medication. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis(AECB) in adult Koreans was a very effective and safe treatment both clinically and bacteriologically.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.104-120
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the therapeutic mechanism of acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture (BVA) in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) using positron emission tomography (PET) and arterial spin labeling (ASL). Methods: Patients with IPD who received a stable dose of anti-parkinsonian medication for at least 4 weeks were recruited and randomly divided into one of two groups: treatment and control. The treatment group (11 subjects) received acupuncture and BVA at acupoints, and the control group (9 subjects) received sham acupuncture and normal saline injections at non-acupoints, twice per week for 12 weeks. The patients were examined using PET and ASL at baseline and after the 12-week treatment. In addition, age- and sex-matched healthy subjects without neurological symptoms and history were recruited to compare ASL data of patients with IPD. Results: PET results revealed that striatal dopamine transporter binding increased in each group after 12 weeks. Although the change was larger in the treatment group, the difference was not statistically significant. In ASL results, the treatment group exhibited hyperperfusion in specific regions compared with the healthy control group. After 12 weeks' intervention, hyperperfusion regions were recovered only in the treatment group. In contrast, significant changes were not found in hyperperfusion regions in the control group after 12 weeks. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture and BVA in IPD are different from placebo and operate by altering dopamine availability and recovering hyperactivity in cerebral blood flow.

• Journal of Sleep Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.37-42
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• 2018

Objectives: To assess the effect and safety of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in primary chronic insomnia. Methods: A one-month, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial was performed. A total of 7 patients with primary chronic insomnia received tDCS using anodal (n=3), cathodal (n=2), or sham stimulation (n=2). They were followed up at 1 week and 1 month after treatment. The primary outcome measures included improvement in total sleep time (TST), sleep latency (SL), and sleep efficiency (SE) at 1 month follow-up. Results: TST and SE were improved with tDCS at 1 month follow-up in all patients (100%) of the anodal group, one (50%) of the cathodal group, and one (50%) of the sham group. tDCS improved SL at 1 month follow-up in two patients (67%) of the anodal group, one (50%) of the cathodal group, and none (0%) of the sham group. With respect to adverse events, transient itching sensation occurred in one patient of the anodal group. None of the other groups reported adverse events. Conclusions: Our results suggest that tDCS may be effective and safe for treatment of primary chronic insomnia. A larger controlled study needs to be further investigated.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.416-426
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• 2005

Intravenous sedation have many advantages of rapid onset and recovery, ability of control sedation levels and duration through titration. Midazolam is most commonly used intravenous medication for sedation in pediatrics, endoscopy, oncologic procedures and so on. But in dentistry, midazolam intravenous sedation is usually for adult, and there are few reports for children. Todays, children who need sedation become more and older, intravenous sedation technique is going a matter of concern in pediatric dentistry. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy of sedation and clinical success for different initial dosage of midazolam in intravenous sedation for pediatric dental patients. 16 healthy children (male 10, female 6), mean age $54.7{\pm}10.7$ months, who needed at least two separate treatment visits requiring local anesthesia were chosen for this study. Every children were taken 0.3mg/kg, maximum 5mg of midazolam by intramuscular route, and then 30~50% $N_2O-O_2$ for 10 minutes was given. On every visits, one of the following 2 different initial dosage was given by intravenous route : (1) Group I : 0.1mg/kg Midazolam (2) Group II : 0.2mg/kg Midazolam. Additional dosage was half of the first dose. Physiologic parameters (oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiratory rate, end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure) was recorded by ten procedure steps. Behavior was videotaped and rated using Ohio State University Behavioral Rating Scale and Automated Counting System by one investigator, blind to administered dosage. After the treatment, operator evaluated the clinical success. Physiologic parameters were stable and within normal range during treatment in both groups. The analyzed sedative effect, in behavioral evaluation, ratio of favorable Quiet was higher in group II, and clinical success rate of group II was better than group I. Induction time was rapid in group II, and recovery time was rapid in group I. And there was no statistically difference between two groups in every results.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.265-278
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• 2011

Objectives : This trial were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and adverse events of Bofutsusho-san(BTS) and Boiogiot-tang(BOT) by oriental obesity pattern identification on obese subjects, as compared to placebo. Methods : 166 subjects(body mass index ${\geq}25kg/m^2$) were recruited and randomized to receive BT(n=55), FH(n=55) or placebo(n=56) for 8 weeks. Anthropometric factors, serum lipid, glucose, blood pressure(BP), pulse rate, resting metabolic rate and oriental obesity pattern identification questionnaire were measured at baseline and 8 weeks. Adverse events and safety outcome variables were also checked during trials. Results : The frequency of top-scored oriental obesity pattern was ordered by indigestion(食積) > stagnation of the liver qi(肝鬱) > yang deficiency(陽虛) > spleen deficiency(脾虛) > phlegm(痰飮) > blood stasis(瘀血) in subjects. BTS group significantly decreased body weight, body mass index(BMI), waist circumference(WC), body fat mass, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in stagnation of the liver qi(肝鬱) and WC in indigestion(食積). BOT group showed significant decrease of body weight, BMI, WC, and body fat mass in indigestion(食積) not in deficiency(虛症). Adverse events were reported most frequently in yang deficiency(陽虛) by BT group and stagnation of the liver qi(肝鬱) by BOT group. Conclusions : Bofu-tsusho-san was effective in treating obesity with stagnation of the liver qi(肝鬱). Obesity pattern identification could be a useful diagnostic tool predicting treatment effects and adverse events.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2008

Retinal prosthesis is regarded as the most feasible method for the blind caused by retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration. One of the prerequisites for the success of retinal prosthesis is the optimization of the electrical stimuli applied through the prosthesis. Since electrical characteristics of degenerate retina are expected to differ from those of normal retina, we investigated differences of the retinal waveforms in normal and degenerate retina to provide a guideline for the optimization of electrical stimulation for the upcoming prosthesis. After isolation of retina, retinal patch was attached with the ganglion cell side facing the surface of microelectrode arrays (MEA). $8{\times}8$ grid layout MEA (electrode diameter: $30{\mu}m$, electrode spacing: $200{\mu}m$, and impedance: 50 $k{\Omega}$ at 1 kHz) was used to record in-vitro retinal ganglion cell activity. In normal mice (C57BL/6J strain) of postnatal day 28, only short duration (<2 ms) retinal spikes were recorded. In rd/rd mice (C3H/HeJ strain), besides normal spikes, waveform with longer duration (~100 ms), the slow wave component was recorded. We attempted to understand the mechanism of this slow wave component in degenerate retina using various synaptic blockers. We suggest that stronger glutamatergic input from bipolar cell to the ganglion cell in rd/rd mouse than normal mouse contributes the most to this slow wave component. Out of many degenerative changes, we favor elimination of the inhibitory horizontal input to bipolar cells as a main contributor for a relatively stronger input from bipolar cell to ganglion cell in rd/rd mouse.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.37-37
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• 2012

The study aims to evaluate the complexity of relationships between the riparian states - China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia - in the Mekong River Basin since the mid-1990s with special reference to the discourse on hydropower development. A special emphasis will be put on the influence of China on hydropower development. Although a variety of issues on the river basin have been discussed among the riparian states, none of them has been effectively implemented owing to the lack of China's commitment to the discussions for sustainable water management. Now, a new turning point is observed in the region with emergence of the issue on hydropower development, not only in the upper basin but also in the lower basin. The discourse on hydropower in Mekong has quickly drawn attention of the public, accelerated by the onset of construction of the Xayabury Dam in Laos since November 2010. The influence of China as the upstream country with its political, economic, and military power has increasingly grown in the region over the last few decades, and such trend recently intensifies together with an expansion of Chinese commercial interests in the region. Since the establishment of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in 1995, the four MRC members have striven to push forward a sustainable use of water resources in the basin. But the legitimacy of the MRC system has been eroded due to the lack of participation by Myanmar and China, and in particular, the Chinese absence has made the four riparian states blind about the change of water regime due to the Chinese dams upstream. Environmental damages due to hydropower development might be possible, including a drop of fish yields, crop production, and damages to the river's ecosystems. Vietnam and Cambodia have already expressed their concerns over the dam construction towards China as well as Laos by pointing out detrimental impacts of the dams to their economies. China's move to collaborate with the other riparian states since 2010 has given a positive signal in terms of sustainable water management in the river. However, this phenomenon never confirms China's proactive contribution to the cooperative activities within the framework of the MRC system. Laos' initiative to build a new dam in the lower basin alarms those who are opposed to dam construction in the fear of its far-reaching damages to the environment. The question goes back to the year-long debate on policy priorities given to economic growth or the environment. The riparian states require wisdom based on a consensus about sustainable water use rather than hydropower development based on individual growth dreams.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.711-729
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• 2015

The purposes of this study are to derive the regions in Seoul that lack gifted education units by analyzing the spatial distribution of the units and to investigate the factors related to the unit locations. The gifted education units are divided into the three following types: the first type is a gifted class at a school, the second type is a gifted education center at a provincial office of education, and the third type is a gifted education center at a university. The results of using a GIS-based spatial analysis were as follows. First, a buffering analysis showed that even though there were gifted educational blind spots in Jongno-gu and in parts of the outskirts of Seoul, the spatial distribution of gifted education units in Seoul seemed homogeneous because they were too small. Second, a special quotient analysis showed that there was a hub unit of gifted education in Guro-gu. Third, an analysis of local Moran's Index showed that Jung-gu was a cold spot and Songa-gu was a hot spot. Fourth, a correlation analysis investigated that the number of gifted education units had generally no statistically significant relationship with economic factors. These results will help to improve the efficiency and equity of the management of the gifted education units in Seoul that will be established or expanded in the future.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2010

Background: Auricular acupressure is one of the traditional health care treatments in oriental medicine. Approximately, 30~40% of the cancer patients have said to be suffering from insomnia and half of them having chronic and severe insomnia at the same time. Insomnia caused cancer patients feel more pain, fatigue, depression and anxiety and it sometimes let the power to have the best of cancer pull down. Objective: To investigate how effective the auricular acupressure treatment to cancer patients suffering from insomnia. Methods: We recruited participants from East-West Cancer Center of Daejeon University. Finally, of the people whose age range from 20 to 75, 12 patients who got less than 40 points from the score of Oh's sleeping score (OSS) were recruited. Single-blind, randomized pilot study was performed. The treatment group received auricular acupressure treatment (AAT) on active points and the control group had received sham acupressure treatment (SAT) for five times. Sleep parameters were checked by using OSS and numeric rating scale (NRS). We checked the scale everytime, both before and after treatment. We analyzed the data statistically by using independent T-test, paired T-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. (p<0.05) Results: Twelve cancer patients participated in this pilot study and there was no significant difference between control and treatment group. Only 7 of them had completed the whole treatment process, 4 patients of AAT group and 3 participants of SAT. The OSS of AAT group had increased from $34.0{\pm}4.3$ to $39.5{\pm}3.1$ and that of SAT group had increased from $38.3{\pm}3.5$ to $40.0{\pm}0.0$. There was no significant difference between them. The NRS of AAT group had increased from $6.3{\pm}2.9$, $04.8{\pm}2.1$ and that of SAT group had increased from $7.0{\pm}1.0$ to $5.0{\pm}2.6$. No significant difference was observed between them. Conclusion: Although both groups did not show significant differences, most of the experimental participants showed increasing OSS and NRS after treatments. Significant participants' number will be needed in the next study.