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Objective: This study was conducted to investigate whether acupuncture and moxibustion treatment could improve proteinuria in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.Methods: A 25-year-old man diagnosed with immunoglobulin A nephropathy had severely increased proteinuria. We conducted acupuncture treatment and moxibustion treatment on the abdominal area between the abdominal aorta and kidney at level L2.Results: After five months of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, the patient’s urine albumin/creatinine ratio and urine protein/creatinine ratio had improved from 0.571 to 0.28 and 0.79 to 0.47, respectively.Conclusions: This case report suggests that acupuncture and moxibustion treatment may ameliorate proteinuria in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect and safety of herbal extracts in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods: We investigated 19 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were administered Banhasasim-tang (BST), Gumiganghwal-tang (GGT), or Pyeongwee-san (PWS) at Kyung Hee University Korean Medical Hospital for at least three days between January 2012 and December 2021. Their clinical characteristics and laboratory tests were reviewed retrospectively. The glucose-lowering effect of the herbal extracts was assessed by comparing blood glucose levels, including fasting blood sugar (FBS), two-hour postprandial glucose (PP2) levels, and glycated hemoglobin levels. To evaluate the safety of the herbal extract, liver function test and kidney function test results were compared, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr).Results: After taking herbal extracts, PP2 and HbA1c levels significantly decreased from 205.82 mg/dL to 171.41 mg/dL and 7.58% to 6.62%, respectively. The safety profile reported no significant difference after taking herbal extracts.Conclusions: BST, GGT, and PWS may have hypoglycemic effects in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus taking hypoglycemic medication.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether Korean medicine could improve unilateral testicular pain caused by recurrent varicocele without unfavorable side effects.Methods: A 46-year-old man diagnosed with varicocele, identified with a scrotal ultrasound scan, had right-side testicular pain. We administered Banchong-san and Eunhoebanchong-san to observe changes in the degree of pain.Results: After one month of taking Banchong-san and Eunhoebanchong-san, testicular pain improved.Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medicine might be effective for managing testicular pain caused by varicocele.

Objectives: The combined use of herbal and Western medicine is increasing. However, herbal medicine is highly likely to interact with Western medicine making it important to understand the effects of co-administration. This study investigates the ratio of patients who take Western medicine with herb...

본 연구는 대학생의 진로준비행동과 관련변인들의 관계에 대한 국내연구 결과를 통합적으로 분석하기 위하여 메타분석을 실시하였다. 연구 대상 자료는 한국교육학술정보원(KERIS), 한국학술정보원(KISS)과 국회도서관의 데이터베이스에서 2000년 1월부터 2015년 12월까지 발행된 대학생 진로준비행동과 관련이 있는 변인들과의 상관관계를 제시한 국내 석․박사논문 및 학술지 게재 논문 150편을 최종 연구대상으로 선정하였다. 연구 결과, 첫째, 대학생의 진로준비행동 관련 변인군으로 사회인지진로이론에 근거한 4개의 변인군(개인변인, 근접맥락변인, 자기효능감변인, 목표변인)에 자기개념변인군을 추가하여 총 5개의 변인군을 설정하였고 분석 결과 19개의 변인이 추출되었다. 둘째, 대학생 진로준비행동과 관련된 변인군들 중 자기효능감변인군이 큰 효과크기를 보였으며, 자기개념변인군과 목표변인군은 중간크기의 효과크기를 보였다. 또한 개인변인군과 근접맥락변인군의 경우 변인군 내에 대학생의 진로행동을 유발하는 변인과 억제하는 변인이 함께 포함되어 작은 효과크기를 나타냈다. 셋째, 대학생 진로준비행동 관련 변인들 중에서 진로결정자기효능감이 가장 큰 효과크기를 가진 것으로 나타났고, 성격특성인 탄력성도 큰 효과크기를 나타냈다. 그 다음으로는 희망, 자아정체감, 자기효능감, 진로결정수준, 사회적지지, 부모지지가 중간크기의 효과를 나타냈으며, 진로장벽은 대학생의 진로준비행동을 억제하는 변인으로 중간크기의 효과를 가진 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 연구결과를 중심으로 본 연구의 의의 및 시사점과 제한점, 후속 연구를 위한 제언을 논의하였다.

Obesity is the state of excessive body fat accumulation and is mainly caused by consuming more calories than are burned through physical activity. Herbal acupuncture (HA), also known as pharmacopuncture, has been increasingly used in clinics of Korean medical to alleviate obesity. This review analyzed four clinical studies and 16 animal studies on the effectiveness of HA as a treatment for obesity. Clinical evidence suggests that various kinds of HA might be beneficial for treating obesity; however, further investigations with well-designed, evidence-based, randomized clinical trials are needed. Animal studies support the idea that HA might be beneficial for the treatment of obesity and provide possible mechanisms, such as anti-inflammation, antioxidation, modulating lipid metabolism and so on, to explain the effect of HA on obesity. This review, based on the evidence collected, suggests that HA could have a beneficial effect for alleviating obesity by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, leptin, and the insulin signal.

Modern roundabout installation is expanding nationwide in Korea recently. However, modern roundabouts are not installed extensively because of lack of effects analysis and the broad criteria for selection of the intersection. This study analyzes delay reduction effects based on the entry traffic volume in order to refine the selection criteria of the intersection. So roundabouts installed in 2010 were analyzed by traffic simulation (VISSIM). Consequently, the average entry traffic volume less than 110 (vphpl) or more than 400 (vphpl) is no effects of delay reduction. And by varying the traffic volume, the entry traffic volume 160∼180 (vphpl) showed a greater reduction in delay.

Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone screening of asymptomatic individuals to diagnose subclinical hypothyroidism remains controversial. We evaluated the potential role of Sasang constitutional discrimination and ryodoraku testing as an alternative and complementary diagnostic tool for subclinical hypothyroidism. Among 1,105 potential subjects, 1,073 were included in this study. Of these, 134 subjects had subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and 939 were healthy (euthyroid; EU) control subjects. Blood parameters, including serum thyroid hormone levels, were measured. We classified the participants into the four Sasang constitutional types, Taeyang-type individuals, Taeeum-type individuals, Soyang-type individuals and Soeum-type individuals, and measured their ryodoraku scores (RS). The mean levels of free thyroxine (FT4), glucose, red blood cells and hematocrit in the SCH group were significantly lower compared to those in the EU group (p

Silica nanoparticles were synthesized by a conventional emulsion polymerization by mixing ethanol, ammonium hydroxide, water and tetra ethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). A new reaction apparatus was assembled for a large scale synthesis of silica nanospheres in the laboratory, which was designed for uniform mixing of the reactants. The apparatus was equipped with a disc type agitator with six rectangular propellers. The new apparatus allowed high reproducibility in terms of the mean size and the size distribution of the silica nanoparticles with the relative standard deviation of less than about 6%. Sedimentation field-flow fractionation (SdFFF) was employed for determination of the size distribution of the silica nanoparticles. SdFFF provided size-based separation of the silica nanoparticles, with the retention time increasing with the size. When SdFFF analysis was repeated three times for the same sample, the standard deviation was less than 4%, showing reliability of SdFFF in size measurement. SdFFF seems to provide more accurate size distribution than DLS, particularly for those having broad and multimodal size distributions. Change in the agitation speed resulted in significant change in the mean diameter of the silica nanoparticles. Agitation speed of 400 rpm in 3 L reaction vessel yielded silica particles of about 100 nm in diameter, while at 200 rpm in 1 L vessel yielded those of about 500 nm.

Early diagnosis of infectious diseases is important for treatment; therefore, selective and rapid detection of pathogenic bacteria is essential for human health. We report a strategy for highly selective detection and rapid separation of pathogenic microorganisms using magnetic nanoparticle clusters. Our approach to develop probes for pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella, is based on a theoretically optimized model for the size of clustered magnetic nanoparticles. The clusters were modified to provide enhanced aqueous solubility and versatile conjugation sites for antibody immobilization. The clusters with the desired magnetic property were then prepared at critical micelle concentration (CMC) by evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA). Two different types of target-specific antibodies for H- and O-antigens were incorporated on the cluster surface for selective binding to biological compartments of the flagella and cell body, respectively. For the two different specific binding properties, Salmonella were effectively captured with the O-antibody-coated polysorbate 80-coated magnetic nanoclusters (PCMNCs). The synergistic effect of combining selective targeting and the clustered magnetic probe leads to both selective and rapid detection of infectious pathogens.

We analyze the garlic dispute between Korea and China with the aim of exploring the improved WTO dispute settlement rules that could apply to disputes where WTO accession applying developing countries are involved in. After examining the background of the dispute, we analyze it from both the negotiation and WTO rules aspect. Then, we suggest policy recommendations, taking into account existing rules' limitations in dealing with disputes between a WTO Member and an accession applicant developing country. The recommendations are the introduction of the transitory dispute settlement rules covering disputes with accession applicants and the application of certain negotiation principles such as the standstill principle.

Today, the combined use of Oriental herbal medicines and Western biomedical medicines has been a prevalent yet controversial practice. Case reports and healthy volunteer trials have had conflicting results on the effect Panax ginseng has on warfarin's pharmacologic action, some reporting a reductive and others a potentiating influence.This study investigated the interaction between warfarin and P. ginseng by observing the prothrombin time (PT) and the international normalized ratio (INR) in ischemic stroke patients who did not have a history of taking warfarin.Randomized, open-label, controlled study.Twenty-five (25) patients newly diagnosed with ischemic stroke by brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in the Korean Medical Hospital, Kyung Hee University (Seoul, Republic of Korea).Ischemic stroke patients were randomized into 2 groups: the ginseng group (n = 12), given both P. ginseng and warfarin, and the control group (n = 13), given only warfarin, both for 2 weeks. The warfarin dose was restricted to 2 mg in the first week and 5 mg in the second week.The peak values and the international normalized ratio (INR) and prothrombin time (PT) areas under the curve (AUC) in both groups significantly increased compared to those at baseline. However, there was no statistically significant difference in peak values and INR and PT AUC between groups in both the first and second weeks.This study suggests that coadministration of P. ginseng and warfarin in ischemic stroke patients does not influence the pharmacologic action of warfarin.

We synthesized nano-sized La1 − xCaxCoO3 (x = 0.1–0.4) cathode catalysts for zinc air secondary batteries by the citrate method, and measured electrochemical characteristics of the cathodes according to the cathode catalyst’s calcium content. We heat treated the prepared precursor at a calcination temperature of 700°C, and examined it by XRD analysis and electrochemical evaluation. We examined the prepared La1 − xCaxCoO3 catalyst powder’s oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and cycle-stability performance. When we consider ORR, OER and cycle-stability performance simultaneously, La0.9Ca0.1MnO3 catalyst showed the best performance because of its lowest voltage deference between charge and discharge, and its lowest degradation according to cycle.

Graves' disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, is an autoimmune disorder. Antithyroid drugs have been selected as the first-line treatment of Graves' disease in Korea, Japan, and European countries. However, antithyroid drugs such as methimazole (MMI) and prophylthiouracil (PTU) have limitations in clinical applications because of their side effects. In this study, we performed a clinical trial and in vitro study to investigate the clinical effects and action mechanism of Ahnjeonbaekho-tang (AJBHT), an herbal remedy for Graves' disease. In a clinical study of Graves' disease patients who had side effects from antithyroid drugs, we found that treatment by AJBHT resulted in a reduction of serum triiodothyronine (T3) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels and an increase in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (T3: p

We prepared nano-sized La1-xSrxMnO3 (x=0.2~0.5) cathode catalyst for the zinc air secondary batteries by citrate method and measured cathode’s electrochemical characteristics according to content of strontium compose the cathode catalyst. We heat treated the prepared precursor at various calcination temperature (500~900), and examined the optimum calcinations temperature by XRD analysis and electrochemical evaluation. We examined the ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) and OER (oxygen evolution reaction) performance of the prepared La1-xSrxMnO3 catalyst powder. La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 and La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 catalyst has shown the best performance in the ORR. But in the OER, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 catalyst has shown better performance. When we consider ORR and OER performance simultaneously, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 catalyst has shown the best performance because of its lowest voltage difference between charge and discharge.

Sasang constitutional medicine classifies mankind into four constitutional types according to individual psychologic and physical traits. We hypothesized that differences among constitutional types might be explained by genetic variations.To evaluate the hypothesis, we determined the possible association in ischemic stroke patients (n = 134) of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma with four constitutional types of Sasang medicine. The constitutional type of each patient and control subject (n = 129) was classified and genotyped for PPAR-gamma polymorphism Pro12Ala by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods.The distribution of the Pro/Ala genotypes in the ischemic stroke patients was not significantly different from that of healthy controls [odds ratio (OR)= 0.46; p = 0.1214]. However, very interestingly, we observed that all six Pro/Ala genotypes in ischemic patients were Taeeumin, one of four constitutional types of Sasang medicine. Statistical analysis revealed that Pro/Ala genotype in Taeeumin increases almost 15-fold the susceptibility to ischemic stroke compared to other constitutional types, Taeyangin, Soyangin or Soeumin (OR= 14.72; p = 0.0110).From the results in this study, we might suggest that Pro/Ala genotype in Taeeumin is associated with the susceptibility to ischemic stroke. To the author's best knowledge, this is the first report to study on genetic level the potential relationship between ischemic stroke and Sasang constitutional medicine, one of traditional Korean medicines (TKM). Authors hope that this study could provide a new approach for the study of ischemic stroke and merit further research.

Objective We evaluated conventional ASSR (Bio-logic MASTER II) and NB CE-Chirp ASSR thresholds as objective hearing measures in both normal and hearing loss subjects. Methods Patients with sensorineural hearing loss and volunteer normal hearing subjects were enrolled. Pure tone thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz were compared with the corresponding thresholds measured using Bio-logic MASTER II and the Eclipse ASSR systems. The threshold differences and correlation with pure tone were measured and reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's α . In part I of the study, all subjects were included, in part II of the study, only mild hearing loss and normal hearing subjects were included. Results In part I , NB CE-Chirp ASSR revealed a significantly smaller difference in threshold than conventional ASSR, a better correlation and better reliability. However, lower frequencies of NB CE-Chirp tended to be less reliable than higher frequencies. In part II , NB CE-Chirp revealed smaller threshold differences than conventional ASSR. Both correlation scores and reliability values were generally lower in the part II results. Conclusion NB CE-Chirp ASSR generally revealed more favorable outcomes. However, its reliability was reduced at lower frequencies and in patients with milder hearing loss.

An improved investment environment and aggressive foreign direct investment (FDI) liberalization strategies have enabled Asian countries, such as Korea and Vietnam, to attract sharply increased FDI inflows and multinational corporations (MNCs) during the 1990s. Indonesia, however, has suffered from stagnated FDI inflows and, in particular, continued divestment since late 1998. In this paper, we report the survey results of recent changes in attitudes toward foreign MNCs perceived by government officials and business leaders in these three Asian countries, and investigate the major individual attribute determinants of their assessment of foreign investments using econometric tools. We also discuss policy implications of these findings for host‐country FDI policy makers and the international business community.

Mesangial cell (MC) proliferation, mediated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), is the common feature of glomerulosclerosis. Magnolia officinalis, stem bark of Machilus thunbergii S., has multiple pharmacological effects. In this study, we investigated the influence of aqueous extract of Magnolia officinalis on MC proliferation, DNA synthesis, and expression of PDGF-BB, TGF-β1, CDK1, CDK2, and CDK4 in fetal bovine serum (FBS)-activated human MC. Magnolia officinalis inhibited the MC proliferation, DNA synthesis, and the expression of PDGF-BB, CDK1, and CDK2 gene and CDK1, CDK2, and TGF-β1 protein. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of Magnolia officinalis on MC proliferation may be mediated by regulation of PDGF-BB and TGF-β1expressions and by modulation of CDK1 and CDK2 expression. Keywords:: Magnolia officinalis, mesangial cell, proliferation

The present study examined the inhibitory effect of aqueous extract from the gall of Rhus chinensis (AEGRC) on alpha-glucosidase activity, an enzyme responsible for digestion of carbohydrate to monosaccharides in the process of intestinal absorption. AEGRC inhibited Bacillus alpha-glucosidase acitvity with an IC(50) of 0.9 micro g/ml. Its inhibition on alpha-glucosidase was determined to be noncompetitive and reversible when the enzyme-substrate mixture was simultaneously treated with AEGRC as an inhibitor. In addition, when it was orally administered to rats with sucrose (2g/kg), AEGRC (250-1000mg/kg) significantly suppressed the increase of blood glucose levels after sucrose loading in a dose dependent manner. These results suggest that AEGRC might exert anti-diabetic effect by suppressing carbohydrate absorption from intestine, and thereby reducing the postprandial increase of blood glucose.

This paper reports the survey results of the recently changing attitudes of the government and business elite groups toward multinational firms in Korea and investigates the major individual attribute determinants of these attitude changes. The elite groups of the public and private sectors in Korea, such as government officials and business leaders, were shown to have favorable attitudes toward multinational firms, in general for varying reasons. The estimation results based on the linear probability (OLS) model and the probit model showed that the most significant changes in attitudes toward multinational corporations in Korea are expected among the young business leaders working for small firms and the government officials at the low hierarchical level. This paper also discusses several policy implications of this study on the enhancement of the receptivity toward multinational firms and the host-country policies of foreign investment in Korea.

In the present study, we investigated the influences of a high fat diet (HD) fed for 12 weeks, on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme using 4-hydroxy-2E-nonenal (HNE)-modified proteins (HNE-mp) and Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) in the hippocampal CA1 region (CA1) in C57BL/6N and C3H/HeN mice. Body weights and body weight gains were significantly higher in HD fed C57BL/6N mice than in low fat diet (LD) fed C57BL/6N and LD or HD fed C3H/HeN mice. In the HD fed C57BL/6N and C3H/HeN mice, HNE-mp immunoreactivity and protein levels were much higher than in the LD fed C57BL/6N or C3H/HeN mice. In particular, HNE-mp immunoreactivity and protein levels in HD fed C57BL/6N mice was higher than that in the HD fed C3H/HeN mice. SOD1 immunoreaction was detected in the non-pyramidal cells of C57BL/6N mice, while in the C3H/HeN mice SOD1 immunoreaction was observed in CA1 pyramidal cells. The SOD1 immunoreactivity in the LD fed C57BL/6N and C3H/HeN mice was slightly, but not significantly decreased compared to that in the HD fed C57BL/6N and C3H/HeN mice, respectively. In addition, ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) immunoreactive microglia in the HD fed C57BL/6N showed hypertrophy of cytoplasm, which is the characteristics of activated microglia. These results suggest that HD fed C57BL/6N mice are more susceptible to lipid peroxidation in the CA1 than in LD fed C57BL/6N and LD or HD fed C3H/HeN mice without any differences of SOD1 expression.

Graves' disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, is an autoimmune disorder. Antithyroid drugs have been selected as the first-line treatment of Graves' disease in Korea, Japan, and European countries. However, antithyroid drugs such as methimazole (MMI) and prophylthiouracil (PTU) have limitations in clinical applications because of their side effects. In this study, we performed a clinical trial and in vitro study to investigate the clinical effects and action mechanism of Ahnjeonbaekho-tang (AJBHT), an herbal remedy for Graves' disease. In a clinical study of Graves' disease patients who had side effects from antithyroid drugs, we found that treatment by AJBHT resulted in a reduction of serum triiodothyronine (T3) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels and an increase in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (T3: p0.0001, FT4: p=0.0012, TSH: p=0.0370, respectively). In vitro, AJBHT significantly inhibits FRTL-5 cell proliferation, DNA synthesis, cyclic AMP production, T4 synthesis, and the expression of thyroglobulin (Tg) mRNA in comparison with the control. These results suggest that AJBHT might suppress T(4) synthesis by modulating adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and Tg expression, and therefore, AJBHT could be an alternative therapy for Graves' disease patients who have side effects from antithyroid drugs.

Enhanced release of proinflammatory cytokines may contribute to the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-1beta are proinflammatory cytokine. To determine the role of cytokines in genetic susceptibility to ischemic stroke, we genotyped ischemic stroke patients (n = 152) and the healthy control subjects (n = 165) for IL-1Ra, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. The analysis shown the association of IL1RN*1, IL1RN*2 allele (IL1RN*1, OR=0.44, P = 0.0206 IL1RN*2, OR=2.90, P = 0.0141) and TNF1, TNF2 allele (TNF1, OR=2.16, P = 0.0225; TNF2, OR=2.16, P = 0.0225) to ischemic stroke. However, the genetic polymorphism of IL-1beta was not associated with ischemic stroke. Our results suggest that IL-1Ra and TNF-alpha gene polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to ischemic stroke.

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