• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.17-26
• /
• 2012

Histologic and microstructural changes during the postembryonic development of the wolf spider Arctosa kwangreungensis were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy to examine the relationship between a morphological differentiation and behavioral properties. The postembryo with abdominal yolk sac was stayed inactive in the egg case because its muscular and visual systems were not fully developed to a functional level. The first instar spiderlings, developed from the postembryo by a first molting process, started to exhibit its pigmentation on their body cuticles. In particular, undifferentiated cell clusters of central nervous system (CNS) were densely distributed within the cephalothorax, and highly differentiated abdominal ganglion was observed. They had a characteristic visual system looks more like its adult counterpart, and had segmented appendages looks more like the tiny spiders containing well oriented muscular system. After 3rd instar, spiderlings grew more rapidly with accordance to their consistent growth and periodical molting processes. Thus, the relative area of CNS with respect to cephalothorax was gradually decreased, instead a pair of venom glands, musculature, and connectives occupied the residual area. It has been revealed that the early development of spider can be controled by the feeding condition of larval period, since histologic and microstructural differentiations in both appendages and optic system were completed at the second instar. In particular, behavioral properties of the wandering spiders that depend on vision and their running ability were deeply related to physiological differentiation of the microstructural development.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.77-86
• /
• 2013

This study was introduced the short-term effectiveness of Oriental medicine treatment for lumbar disc herniation inpatients. We selected 208 inpatients with a magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)-confirmed lumbar disc herniation since June 2012 until August 2012. Their demographics characterisitics, numeric rating scale(NRS) and Oswestry back-related disability index(ODI) for low or leg pain, lumbar flexion and extension angle were assessed at baseline and when discharged from the hospital. When it measured the straight leg raisingscale(SLR), the low side of the angle was examined. Treatment every patient has received as follow; herbal medicine, bee venom, acupuncture and physical examination, spinal manipulation. NRS of low back pain and leg pain and ODI is $5.6{\pm}2.3$, $4.9{\pm}2.8$ and $45.5{\pm}20.0$, respectively at baseline and $2.8{\pm}1.8$, $2.7{\pm}1.9$ and $27.2{\pm}14.1$, respectively when discharged from the hospital. range of motion(ROM) of lumbar flexion and extension angle and SLR is $70.0{\pm}27.1$, $15.4{\pm}7.2$ and $61.3{\pm}23.0$ respectively at baseline and $80.5{\pm}16.9$, $18.25{\pm}4.1$ and $73.2{\pm}14.0$, respectively when discharged from the hospital. It shows that statistically significant improved(P<0.001). Furthermore, regarding patient satisfaction with the treatment, excellent(33.7%), good(55.4%), normal(10.4%), poor(0.5%), it suggests that most patients(89%) satisfied with the treatment.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.40-47
• /
• 2014

Objectives : Postural instability and gait difficulty(PIGD) can develop in all Parkinson's disease patients, especially late in the disease course, but does not respond well to conventional dopamine treatment. This study aimed to report three cases of PIGD in Parkinson's disease patients treated with Korean and Western medicine treatment. Methods : We used acupuncture, bee venom acupuncture, herbal medicine and moxibustion to treat patients during hospitalization. They continued Western medication and received rehabilitation treatment. We observed the changes of PIGD using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS). Results : After treatment, PIGD symptoms improved and UPDRS scores were decreased. Especially, scores of falling, walking, gait and postural stability subsections related with PIGD were decreased. In addition, general conditions of patients were improved. Conclusions : This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment could be effective in the treatment of PIGD in Parkinson's disease patients.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.95-111
• /
• 2005

Objectives : The analysis of prognosis about lumbago classes is important for low back patients. This study was designed to show the clinical significance about lowback pain patients based on 10 classes lumbago ill Dong-Eui-Bo-Kham. Methods : To analyze classify 80 patients who had received the hospital treatment for low back pain, they were classified according to 10 classes lumbago in Dong-Eui-Bo-Kham. To estimate the efficacy of oriental medical treatment, we used Quardruple Visual Analog Scale (QVAS). Results & Conclusion :1. According To 10 classes lumbago in Dong-Eui-Bo-Kham, the largest group of lumbago was due to muscle strain in 30(37.5%) cases, the next was due to wind pathogen group in 18(22.5%) cases, due to blood stasis group in 16(20%), due to Kidney deficiency by 12(15.0%), due to retention of food group by 2(2.5%), the lumbago due to humidity pathogen group by 2(2.5%) in order. 2. By the results which puts out the statistics in lumbago classes on a objectivity treatment record, the Lumbago due to blood stasis, the lumbago due to kidney deficiency, the lumbago due to muscle strain, the lumbago due to wind pathogen, the lumbago due to retention of food, the lumbago due to humidity pathogen showed $3.6({\pm}0.68),\;2.83({\pm}0.84),\;3.13({\pm}0.78),\;2.67{\pm}(0.77),\;3.00,\;3.00$. 3. By the results which puts out the statistics in lumbago classes as a subjectivity treatment record, the Lumbago due to blood stasis, the lumbago due to Kidney deficiency, the lumbago due to muscle strain, the lumbago due to wind pathogen, the lumbago due to retention of food, the lumbago due to humidity pathogen changed from $8.19{{\pm}1.68),\;8.58{\pm}(1.08),\;7.80{\pm}(2.28),\;8.67({\pm}1.46),\;9.00({\pm}1.41),\;8.50({\pm}0.71)\;to\;2.81({\pm}1.91),\;4.17({\pm}2.52),\;2.43({\pm}1.63),\;3.00({\pm}1.85),\;2.00,\;3.00$.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.191-201
• /
• 2005

Objective : The purpose of this study is to arrange the literature about a acupuncture therapy on the knee rheumatoid arthritis. Methods : We arrange fifty kinds of literature about a acupuncture therapy of knee joint, knee arthritis, Results : Acupucture point at G30, G34, S36, LI11, B4O, G39, G38, LI4 used frequently for the acupuncture therapy Conclusion : B, G, S, Sp of merdians used frequently for the acupuncture therapy.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.605-610
• /
• 2009

Purpose: Substantial tissue necrosis after snake bites requiring coverage with flap surgery is extremely rare. In this article, we report 7 cases of soft tissue defects in the upper and the lower extremities caused by snake bites, which needed to be covered with flaps. Among the vast mass of publications on snake bites there has been no report that focuses on flap coverage of soft tissue defects due to snake bite sequelae. Methods: Seven cases of soft tissue defects with tendon, ligament, or bone exposure after snake bites were included. All patients were males without comorbidities, the average age was 35 years. All of them required coverage with a flap. In 6 cases, the defect was localized on the upper extremity, in one case the lesion was on the lower extremity. Local flaps were used in 6 cases, one case was covered with a free flap. The surgical procedures included one kite flap, one cross finger flap and digital nerve reconstruction with a sural nerve graft, one reverse proximal phalanx island flap, one groin flap, one adipofascial flap, one neurovascular island flap, and one anterolateral thigh free flap. The average interval from injury to flap surgery was 23.7 days. Results: All flaps survived without complication. All patients regained a good range of motion in the affected extremity. Donor site morbidities were not observed. The case with digital nerve reconstruction recovered a static two point discrimination of 7 mm. The patient with foot reconstruction can wear normal shoes without a debulking procedure. Conclusion: The majority of soft tissue affection after snake bites can be treated conservatively. Some severe cases, however, may require the coverage with flap surgery after radical debridement, especially, if there is exposure of tendon, bone or neurovascular structures. There is no doubt that definite coverage should be performed as soon as possible. But we also want to point out that this principle must not lead to a premature coverage. If the surgeon is not certain that the wound is free of necrotic tissue or remnants of venom, it is better to take enough time to get a proper wound before flap surgery in order to obtain a good functional and cosmetic result.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.105-110
• /
• 2018

Melittin is the main component of apitoxin (bee venom) that has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Herein, we demonstrated that inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by melittin causes suppression of cancer cell migration and invasion. Melittin significantly suppressed the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced cell migration and invasion in lung cancer cells. Moreover, melittin up-regulated the expression of epithelial marker protein, E-cadherin, and down-regulated the expression of EMT related proteins, vimentin and fibronectin. Mechanistic studies revealed that melittin markedly suppressed the expression of EMT mediated transcription factors, ZEB2, Slug, and Snail. The EGF-induced phosphorylation of AKT, mTOR, P70S6K, and 4EBP1 was also inhibited by melittin, but not that of ERK and JNK. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of melittin on migration and invasion of lung cancer cells may be associated with the inhibition of EMT via blocking of the AKT-mTOR-P70S6K-4EBP1 pathway.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.131-140
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The National Emergency Medical Center has been running a project for the storage and delivery of antidotes for acute poisoning patients of the Department of Health and Welfare, Korea. This study analyzed the results of this project over the past two years. Methods: The requests received by the National Emergency Medical Center and the data on the delivery process were analyzed. Results: This study analyzed a total of 121 patients with acute poisoning, who were requested to receive an antidote reserved at 20 key hospitals in 2015-2017, and whose age was $52.3{\pm}23.5\;years$; old; 54 were women. Intentional poisoning were 58.7%, and the home was the most common place of exposure (66.9%). The toxic substances were chemicals (32.2%), pesticides (27.3%), medicines (24.8%), and snake venom (4.1%). The patient's poison severity score was $2.4{\pm}0.7$ (median 3) indicating moderate-to-severe toxicity. Antidote administration was the cases treated in key hospitals 67.8% (82/121), in which transferred patients accounted for 57.3% (47/82). After receiving an antidote request from a hospital other than the key hospitals, the median was 75.5 minutes (range 10 to 242 minutes) until the antidote reached the patient, and an average of 81.5 minutes was required. The results of emergency care were intensive care unit (70.3%), general wards (13.2%), death (10.7%), and discharge from emergency department (5.0%). Conclusion: This study showed that the characteristics of acute poisoning patients treated with an antidote were different from previous reports of poisoned patients in the emergency department, and basic data on the time required for delivery from key hospitals was different.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.851-864
• /
• 2019

Multiple system atrophy is a neurodegenerative disease that causes diverse bodily dysfunctions (cerebellar, pyramidal, automatic, and urological, in any combination), as well as Parkinsonism. Patients with multiple system atrophy commonly display antecollis, a condition where the patient's head tilts forward more than 45 degrees. Despite its common occurrence in these patients, no current standardized therapies are effective for treating antecollis. In this study, Korean medicinal treatments, including Chuna manual therapy, pharmaco-acupuncture, bee venom acupuncture, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and moxibustion therapy, were administered to the patient over a 27-day period. After the treatment, assessments of the head position on the EPIS-PD scale (Part I) and at a standing position from the side (Part II) both revealed improvements. As the head flexion angle decreased, the patient's head posture improved, as determined by a decrease in angle from 80 degrees to 30 degrees in the upright, standing position. As a result, patients who previously were unable to walk without the support of walking frames could now roam freely and independently, with significant increases in both walking speed and distance. In essence, this study suggests that Korean medicine is an effective treatment for patients with multiple system atrophy who suffer from antecollis and gait disorders.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.16-31
• /
• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of clinical practice for gout in Korean Medicine (KM). Methods : On-line survey was adopted for this study, targeted at KM Doctors who were registered in the Association of Korean Medicine. The questionnaire included the general status of treatment, pattern identification and treatment method according to three stages given: acute, chronic and asymptomatic hyperuricemia stage. Results : Data from a total of 384 respondents was analyzed. Participants who responded most were in their 40s, working in KM clinics located in Seoul. Acupuncture and herbal medicines were the top priority treatments in preparing recommendations in clinical practice guidelines for gout, and where clinical trials were considered essential. As of the past year, the average number of first visits per month was 86.7%, and the average treatment duration was less than 1 month, accounting for 72.9%. As for the diagnostic method used for gout patients, the "diagnosed by clinical pattern" response was the highest, and the "blood and urine test" response was the highest as the diagnostic equipment used. As for the evaluation scale being used, the "VAS/NRS" response was the highest. Regardless of the gout stage, acupuncture was the most commonly used treatment method for gout patients, and bee venom pharmacopuncture was the highest for the pharmacopuncture used. In the case of herbal medicine, it was found that a wider variety of herbal medication uninsured in health insurance and herbal prescription were used for the staged treatment of gout than herbal medication in national health insurance coverage. In clinical practice, "acupuncture treatment three times a week" was the most common, and the "acupoints in the limb" were the most frequently used; LR3 and SP3 were the most frequently used acupoints. Conclusions : It is suggested that this survey should be helpful to develop clinical practice guideline for gout that reflects actual clinical practice.