• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2016

This article investigates ethical challenges cancer patients face in the end stages of life including doctors' responsibilities, patients' rights, unexpected desires of patients and their relatives, futile treatments, and communication with patients in end stages of life. These patients are taken care of through palliative rather than curative measures. In many cases, patients in the last days of life ask their physician to terminate their illness via euthanasia which has many ethical considerations. Proponents of such mercy killing (euthanasia) believe that if the patient desires, the physician must end the life, while opponents of this issue, consider it as an act of murder incompatible with the spirit of medical sciences. The related arguments presented in this paper and other ethical issues these patients face and possible solutions for dealing with them have been proposed. It should be mentioned that this paper is more human rational and empirical and the views of the legislator are not included, though in many cases human intellectual and empirical comments are compatible with those of the legislator.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.366-373
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• 1997

Recently the endangered species of wild fauna and flora used in TCM have been held under a spotlight by CITES-implementing countries. USA and other western countries have suspected Oriental countries might not keep the regulation of CITES effectively for the continuous use of endangered species such as tiger bone, rhino horn, bear gallbladder and others. However, most of Oriental countries have tried to keep CITES truly. The misunderstanding of culture and thought in Oriental countries can be one of important factors. Thus, for effective implementation of CITES, we have to keep communication with western countries especially in the principles of TCM or others and vice versa. In addition, TCM using countries and counterpart countries should prevent illegal trade of endangered species in TCM and also fry to develop natural or synthesized substitutes for endangered species. We have to continue to develop methods to artificially propagate endangered species, while trying to alleviate the ethical problems entailed by breeding in captivity. In south Korea we also have to make known our implementation of CITES such as reinforced law for prohibition of using CITES items, public awareness by training program, brochure and surveys to other countries.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.336-344
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• 2011

This article describes a new recognition algorithm using correlation coefficient for intelligent wheelchair to avoid collision for elderly or disabled people. The correlation coefficient can be used to represent the relationship of two different areas. The algorithm has three steps: Firstly, we extract an edge vector using the Histogram of Oriented Gradients(HOG) which includes gradient information and unique magnitude for each cell. From this result, the correlation coefficients are calculated between one cell and others. Secondly, correlation coefficients are used as the weighting factors for normalizing the HOG cell. And finally, these features are used to classify or detect variable and complicated shapes of two wheelers using Adaboost algorithm. In this paper, we propose a new feature vectors which is calculated by weighted cell unit to classify with multiple view-based shapes: frontal, rear and side views($60^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$ and mixed angle). Our experimental results show that two wheeler detection system based on a proposed approach leads to a higher detection accuracy than the method using traditional features in a similar detection time.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.159-164
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• 1998

The developmental and subsequent addition of laser technology to existing surgical techniques offered new and exciting Possibilities for improving traditional endoscopic operations and expanding the scope of the specialty of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Lasers were found to be Precise, but potentially dangerous, surgical instruments whose use was associated with certain distinct and unprecedented advantages, but also with many unique and potentially serious, and sometimes catastrophic complications. The Purpose of this study was to evaluate the of elation technique of $CO_2$laser, kinds of anesthesia, equipments of operating room, and education of medical staff. Four hundreds 4 cases of $CO_2$laser laryngeal microsurgery were reviewed for the safety of $CO_2$laser in laryngeal microsurgery. Vocal polyp (46,3%) was the most common pathology in our cases. The others were vocal nodule, Reinke`s edema, epiglottic cyst, laryngeal granuloma, laryngeal papilloma, intracordal cysts, laryngeal tuberculosis, laryngeal web, laryngotracheal stenosis, and laryngeal cancer. Following complete equipment controls, treatment area controls, maintenance, service and procedural controls, personel protective equipment, and warning signs, no complications were found in our cases. In conclusion, laryngeal microsurgery with $CO_2$laser could be done safely without complication if complete preoperative preparation and education of medical staff preceded.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.127-136
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• 2007

Ginseng, the root of Panax species, is a well-known herbal medicine. It has been used as traditional medicine in Korea, China and Japan for thousands of years and now is a popular and worldwide natural medicine. The active principles of ginseng are ginsenosides which are also called ginseng saponins. Traditionally ginseng has been used primarily as a tonic to invigorate weak body functions and help the restoration of homeostasis. Current in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate its beneficial effects in a wide range of pathological conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, immune deficiency and hepatotoxicity. Moreover, recent research indicates that some of ginseng's active ingredients exert beneficial actions on aging and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson´s disease. Essentially, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, anti-apoptotic and immunostimulant activities are mostly underlying the postulated ginseng-mediated protective mechanisms. Next to animal studies, data from neural cell cultures contribute to the understanding of these mechanisms which involve decreasing nitric oxide, scavenging of free radicals and counteracting excitotoxicity. This paper focuses on own and other neuroprotective data on ginseng for dopaminergic neurons and intends to show aspects where neuroprotection e.g. by ginsenosides, additionally or preceding standard Parkinson therapy, could come about as a valuable contribution to slow neurodegenerative processes.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.91-94
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• 2004

Water and chloroform/methanol extracts of the three local Malaysian snakehead fish, Channa striatus (striped snakehead), Channa micropeltes (giant snakehead) and Channa lucius (blotched snakehead) were evaluated for inhibitory activity in chronic inflammation, using cotton pellet granuloma test. Both water extracts of C. striatus and C. micropeltes showed marked inhibition of the transudative and proliferative components of chronic inflammation (42.9 and 31.2% respectively for C. striatus, 35.6 and 26.2% for C. micropeltes) when compared to those of mefenamic acid (25.1 and 21.3% respectively) and piroxicam (36.1 and 26.2% respectively). The chloroform/methanol extracts did not exhibit any anti-inflammatory effects. These results indicated that C. striatus has more anti-transudative and anti-proliferative activities than the extract of C. micropletes. C. lucius extract in contrast, did not inhibit these two components. This present study indicated the beneficial effects of the water extracts of C. striatus and C. micropeltes, but not C. lucius on chronic inflammation.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.64-76
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• 2010

The sacroiliac joint is difficult to appropriately examine and treat because it is extremely complex and also is difficult to distinguish dysfunctions from those of the spine and hip which are highly intergrated functionally. In addition generally traditional x-rays and CT scans also are not beneficial in detecting sacroiliac joint dysfunction. The manipulative physiotherapist should seek to establish a series of relevant finding that build into a case implicating the sacroiliac joint. When deciding to use these diagnostic tests, the examiner must determine if the test will give reliable and useful information that will help in the diagnosis and subsequent treatment. To be useful diagnostic tests must give reliable data and be valid and the most useful methods of determining whether a test is a good test for pathology under consideration are sensitivity and specificity. In the ideal world, one would want a test that has both high sensitivity and high specificity. The purpose of this review is to ascertain diagnostic value on the tests for sacroiliac joint dysfunction by literature.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.29-40
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• 1998

1. The traditional view of nature in oriental medicine originated with a horizontal relation between nature and human. But the Sasang Constitution Medicine is based on the thought that ethical value is due to nature and at the same time nature could be transformed by ethical inclination. 2. The Sasang Constitution Medicine is not only a clinical medicine, but also a nature-philosophical system which implies the korean general view of nature. 3. We must examine a thought critically, four seperated physical structure were indeed deterministic. A deterministic understanding is false, because it is based on the recipiency of western philosophical ontology without reflection. 4. Korean view of nature is not kept in the fixed structure, and then can be opened and transformed by personal doings (practical acts). It is important that Sasang medicine is the pathology centering on man which is embodiment of ethical judgements.

• Journal of Oriental Physiology
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• v.14 no.2 s.20
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• pp.1-9
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• 1999

Ethanol induces compoundhemorrhagic gastric lesions and causes a dose-dependent decrease in the concentration of endogenous nonprotein sulfhydryls in rat gastric mucosa. Sulfhydryl-containing drugs protect rats from ethanol - induced gastric lesions. Based on this findings, we investigated the involvement of sulfhydryl compounds in the antioxidant effects of Puerariae radix, a traditional herbal medicine, against ethanol - induced gastric lesions in the absence and presence of iodoacetamide(IDA. sulfhydryl blocking agent) in rats. respectively. Because of the known role of sulfhydryls in gastric cytoprotection, its role in gastric antioxidation was of intrest. In vitro, Puerariae radix extract(PRE) reduced linoleic acid autooxidation and exert DPPH radical scavenging effect. In vivo. PRE increased antioxidants(SOD, catalase. GSH) and reduced lipid peroxide level in ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions. But treatment with PRE plus IDA significantly inhibit the antioxidant effects such as SOD and GSH but did not affect catalase levels. These results suggest that Puerariae radix may play roles in the gastric cytoprotection through antioxidant effects and increase of SOD activity and GSH level are dependent of endogenous sulfhydryls.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.486-495
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• 2023

Lipofuscins are oxidized lipid and protein complexes that accumulate during cellular senescence and tissue aging, regarded as markers for cellular oxidative damage, tissue aging, and certain aging-associated diseases. Therefore, understanding their cellular biological properties is crucial for effective treatment development. Through traditional microscopy, lipofuscins are readily observed as fluorescent granules thought to accumulate in lysosomes. However, lipofuscin granule formation and accumulation in senescent cells are poorly understood. Thus, this study examined lipofuscin accumulation in human fibroblasts exposed to various stressors. Our results substantiate that in glucose-starved or replicative senescence cells, where elevated oxidative stress levels activate autophagy, lipofuscins predominately appear as granules that co-localize with autolysosomes due to lysosomal acidity or impairment. Meanwhile, autophagosome formation is attenuated in cells experiencing oxidative stress induced by a doxorubicin pulse and chase, and lipofuscin fluorescence granules seldom manifest in the cytoplasm. As Torin-1 treatment activates autophagy, granular lipofuscins intensify and dominate, indicating that autophagy activation triggers their accumulation. Our results suggest that high oxidative stress activates autophagy but fails in lipofuscin removal, leaving an abundance of lipofuscin-filled impaired autolysosomes, referred to as residual bodies. Therefore, future endeavors in treating lipofuscin pathology-associated diseases and dysfunctions through autophagy activation demand meticulous consideration.