Korean Western Research Articles

Effects of 3′-Sialyllactose on Symptom Improvement in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Pilot Study

Background/Objectives: 3′-Sialyllactose (3′-SL), a human milk oligosaccharide, has anti-inflammatory effects and is demonstrated to have protective effects against osteoarthritis (OA) in vitro and in vivo. However, this hypothesis remains to be investigated in a clinical setting. Herein, we investigated the effects of 3′-SL on pain and physical function in patients with knee OA. Methods: Sixty patients with knee OA with Kellgren and Lawrence grades (KL-grades) 1–4 and Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (KWOMAC) scores ≥30 were randomly assigned to the placebo (n = 20), 3′-SL 200 mg (n = 20), and 3′-SL 600 mg (n = 20) groups. For 12 weeks, 3′-SL or placebo was administered to patients once a day. Clinical efficacy was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and KWOMAC for physical function at baseline and at 6 and 12 weeks. Adverse effects were assessed for 12 weeks. Results: Significant reductions in VAS and KWOMAC scores were observed at 12 weeks compared with the baseline in the 3′-SL group. No severe adverse effects were observed over 12 weeks. Conclusions: 3′-SL reduced pain in patients with knee OA, improved daily life movements, and was safe, suggesting that 3′-SL might be an effective treatment for knee OA without severe side effects.

Efficacy, Safety, and Economic Feasibility of Dokhwalgisaeng-Tang for Degenerative Knee Osteoarthritis: Protocol for a Multicenter, Randomized, Assessor Blinded, Controlled Trial.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most prevalent degenerative joint diseases worldwide. The herbal decoction, Dokhwalgisaeng-tang (DHGST), has been commonly used in East Asia to treat osteoarthritis. However, there is insufficient evidence to draw clear conclusions concerning its effectiveness and safety for patients with KOA. We aim to determine the efficacy, safety, and economic feasibility of DHGST compared with Celecoxib, an oral COX-2 inhibitor, for patients with degenerative KOA. This multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial, involving 160 participants who will be randomized using block randomization with 1:1 allocation, will compare DHGST and Celecoxib. The total trial period is 24weeks after random allocation, comprising 12weeks of treatment and 12weeks of follow-up. Participants with KOA will be administered 200 mg of DHGST (treatment group) or Celecoxib capsules (control group) for 12weeks. Efficacy and safety evaluations will be conducted at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12, and 24. The primary outcome measurement is the Korean Western Ontario McMaster score at week 12. Changes in pain intensity using a 100 mm visual analog scale, changes in quality of life using a EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level self-report survey, and patient satisfaction will also be measured to evaluate effectiveness between the two groups. A trial-based economic feasibility evaluation will be conducted to analyze treatment cost-effectiveness from societal and healthcare system perspectives. Drug safety will be assessed through adverse reactions and laboratory test findings. This trial protocol has the following limitations. Applying a double-dummy design is not possible, as the tablet and granule forms can easily be distinguished visually, and achieving participant blinding is challenging. The trial findings are intended to inform participants, physicians, and other stakeholders in determining whether DHGST could be used as an alternative therapeutic option for KOA. KCT0008424 (Clinical Research Information Service of the Republic of Korea), registered on 12 May 2023.

Effect of an 8-week hot spring water exercise program on body composition, knee isokinetic muscle function, range of motion, and the Korean Western Ontario and Mcmaster Universities index in middle-age females with osteoarthritis in Republic of Korea: experiment study

Effect of an 8-week hot spring water exercise program on body composition, knee isokinetic muscle function, range of motion, and the Korean Western Ontario and Mcmaster Universities index in middle-age females with osteoarthritis in Republic of Korea: experiment study

Efficacy and safety of SKCPT in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, active-controlled phase III clinical trial

Ethnopharmacological relevanceOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent type of arthritis worldwide and a leading cause of years lost to pain and disability. Among the current pharmacological treatments for OA, symptomatic slow-acting drugs for OA (SYSADOA) induce pain relief and aim to improve joint function by relieving inflammation while causing fewer gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse events than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). SKCPT is a herbal SYSADOA formulated from Clematis mandshurica, Trichosanthes kirilowii, and Prunella vulgaris powdered extracts. This preparation has been shown to induce cartilage protection and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical studies and inhibit glycosaminoglycan degradation and catabolic gene expression in human OA chondrocytes and cartilage. Aim of the studyWe aimed to evaluate the non-inferiority of SKCPT to celecoxib and safety for treating knee OA. Materials and methodsThis multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase III clinical trial enrolled adults with primary knee OA who were randomized (1:1) to SKCPT 300 mg twice daily or celecoxib 200 mg once daily for 12 weeks. ResultsIn total, 278 patients were assigned to treatment (SKCPT, 136; celecoxib, 142) for approximately 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the mean change of Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (K-WOMAC) pain subscale scores from baseline to Day 84. The mean change (least squares [LS] mean ± standard error) from baseline to Day 84 was −23.74 ± 1.48 for SKCPT and −25.88 ± 1.44 for celecoxib. The two-sided 95% confidence interval of the difference (LS mean) between groups was [−1.94, 6.20], confirming that the upper limit was less than the non-inferiority margin of 10. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the secondary endpoints (mean changes of K-WOMAC pain, physical, stiffness subscale, and total score, and the frequency and number of doses of rescue medications) between groups at all time points. Differences between groups in adverse events and adverse drug reactions were not significant, and no serious adverse events occurred. ConclusionsSKCPT efficacy was non-inferior, and its safety profile was similar, to celecoxib. Building on previous results showing that SYSADOA reduce NSAID intake, the present results suggest that the SYSADOA SKCPT could effectively replace NSAIDs in knee OA treatment while avoiding long-term side effects.

Clinical Impact of Thermotherapy and Spinal Twisting Massage on Chronic Non-Specific Spinal Pain.

As the prevalence of chronic non-specific spinal pain rises, the utilization of diverse massage devices for therapeutic intervention increases rapidly. However, research on their mechanisms, particularly those involving spinal twisting, is limited. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of heat application and spinal twisting massage techniques on individuals suffering from chronic non-specific spinal pain. A total of 36 individuals were divided into two groups: a control group (18 participants) and an experimental group (18 participants). The experimental group received heat treatment plus spinal twisting massage twice a week for four weeks, while the control group received heat therapy plus traditional vibration massage techniques. Effectiveness was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (K-WOMAC) Index, spine tilt, and Cobb angle. VAS, K-WOMAC, and PPT significantly improved in both groups at all three time points. VAS notably decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group (p-value: 0.0369). Despite improvements in K-WOMAC and PPT scores within the experimental group, statistical significance remained elusive. Furthermore, spine tilt and Cobb angle showed no significant differences from baseline to the 6th week. In conclusion, the application of thermotherapy coupled with twisting massage demonstrates significant efficacy in mitigating chronic non-specific spinal pain, surpassing the pain-relief outcomes achieved through heat therapy in combination with standard vibration massage techniques.

Effects of Audio-visual and Contextual Conditions on Auditory Word Recognition in Patients with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Objectives: In this study, we compared performance on the auditory word recognition tasks between patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and healthy elderly adults (HE) under different visual, auditory, and contextual conditions to determine how these variables affect auditory comprehension with cognitive decline.Methods: We conducted a standardized comprehension assessment, Paradise Korean Western Aphasia Battery Revised (PK-WAB-R) and the auditory word recognition tasks on 30 patients with NPH and 30 HE. The auditory word recognition task was divided into noisy and quiet conditions (auditory variable), blurry and clean conditions (visual variable), and low- and high-context conditions (contextual variable).Results: Patients with NPH showed relatively good comprehension on the standardized comprehension test of PK-WAB-R. For the auditory word recognition tasks, there was a significant main effect of group, a significant within-group effect of auditory and contextual conditions, and significant interaction effects between auditory condition and group, auditory condition and contextual information, and auditory condition, contextual information, and group.Conclusion: This study confirmed that patients with NPH have difficulty processing auditory comprehension at the sentence level. In addition, the auditory word recognition performance in patients with NPH was significantly lower than HE, and that their difficulties may be more pronounced under certain conditions, such as noisy conditions and low contextual information.

Estimation of Representative Wave Period and Optimal Probability Density Function Using Wave Observed Data around Korean Western Coast

In this study, the peak wave period <i>T<sub>p</sub></i> and mean wave period <i>T</i><sub>02</sub> and <i>T</i><sub><i>m</i>-1, 0</sub>, which are major parameters for classifying ocean characteristics, were calculated using water surface elevation data observed from the second west coast oceanographic and meteorological observation tower. In addition, the ratio of abnormal data, correlation analysis, and optimal probability density function were estimated. In the case of <i>T<sub>p</sub></i> among the calculated representative periods, the proportion of abnormal data was 5.73% and 0.67% at each point, and <i>T</i><sub>02</sub> was 4.35% and 0.01%. <i>T</i><sub><i>m</i>-1, 0</sub> was found to be 2.82% and 0.03%. Meanwhile, as a result of analyzing the relationship between <i>T</i><sub>02</sub> and <i>T<sub>p</sub></i>, the relationship was calculated to be 0.53 and 0.63 for each point. The relationship between <i>T</i><sub><i>m</i>-1, 0</sub> and <i>T<sub>p</sub></i> was 1.15 and 1.32, respectively, and <i>T</i><sub>02</sub>, <i>T</i><sub><i>m</i>-1, 0</sub> was 1.18 and 1.22. As a result of estimating the optimal probability density function of the calculated representative period, <i>T<sub>p</sub></i> followed the ‘Log-normal’ and ‘Normal’ distributions at each point, and <i>T</i><sub>02</sub> was ‘Gamma’, ‘Normal’ distribution and <i>T</i><sub><i>m</i>-1, 0</sub> showed that ‘Log-normal’ and ‘Normal’ distribution were dominant, respectively. It is decided that these results can be used as basic data for wave analysis conducted on the west coast.

Application of a 3D-Printed Writing–Typing Assistive Device in Patients with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

The current study aimed to assess the effects of a customized three-dimensional (3D) printed writing and typing assistive device in patients with cervical spinal cord injury who presented with severe hand dysfunction. Three patients with cervical spinal cord injury who presented with severe hand dysfunction were included in the analysis. The patients’ writing and typing abilities were evaluated after using the silicon assistive device made from a 3D-printed frame for 4 weeks. Patient discomfort and issues were evaluated. Customized 3D-printed writing and typing assistive devices were developed. The Korean Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB), particularly the writing part, and the word practice program of Hangeul were utilized to assess device effects. All patients with cervical spinal cord injuries (SCIs) performed writing or typing using a customized assistive device. Patients 2 and 3 had better typing and writing accuracies based on the word practice program of Hangeul and the K-WAB, respectively. However, patient 3 had increased time, which was associated with the process of adapting to the use of the customized device. Nevertheless, he was highly satisfied with the device. The patient’s typing and writing speed and accuracy improve with the customized 3D-printed device, which can lead to a better performance in the activities of daily living.

The History of Korean Western Theatre by Jaha Koo

The History of Korean Western Theatre by Jaha Koo

Efficacy and Safety of Cheong-A-Won Gagambang (JCE003) on Knee Osteoarthritis: Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Cheong-A-Won Gagambang (JCE003) treatment for degenerative knee osteoarthritis.Methods: This was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial. There were 36 adults with degenerative knee osteoarthritis who were randomly allocated into JCE003 1,000 mg, JCE003 2,000 mg, or the placebo group (in a 1:1:1 ratio). The participants received 12 weeks of treatment and had scheduled tests every 6 weeks. The primary outcomes were measured using the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities scale, and the secondary outcomes were measured using the visual analog scale, European quality of life-5-dimensions, patient global impression of change, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Changes between baseline scores and scores following study completion were analyzed.Results: There were 29 participants whose data were analyzed in this study. The change of Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities, visual analog scale, European quality of life-5-dimensions scores showed significant improvement in the JCE003 1,000 mg group. The change of patient global impression of change was significantly improved in the placebo group. There were 14 adverse events, but there was no clinically significant relationship with the intake of JCE003 compared with the placebo.Conclusion: Taking JCE003 may be effective at improving knee pain in patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis and appears to be safe. Based on this study, the concentration and feasibility of the test group may be used when conducting a large-scale clinical trial of degenerative knee osteoarthritis in the future.

Osteoarthritis improvement effect of Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum extract in relation to genotype.

Objectives: To determine whether SNPs of osteoarthritis (OA)-related genes predict the effect of Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum (CZ) extract in OA patients with OA. Subjects/methods: To analyze correlations between CZ extract effects in humans and their genotypes, 121 Korean patients with OA were recruited. Patients ingested 600 mg/day of the CZ extract GCWB106 (one tablet daily), including 250-mg CZ, or placebo (one tablet daily) for 12 weeks. Twenty SNPs were genotyped in 11 genes associated with OA pathogenesis, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and 9 genes involved in OA-related dietary intervention. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (K-WOMAC) were measured as indicators of GCWB106 effect. Statistical comparisons were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests to identify associations between these scales and genotyped loci in patients with OA. Results: Three SNPs (PPARG rs3856806, MMP13 rs2252070, and ZIP2 rs2234632) were significantly associated with the degree of change in VAS pain score. Homozygous CC genotype carriers of rs3856806, G allele carriers (GA or GG) of rs2252070, and T allele carriers (GT or TT) of rs2234632 showed lower VAS score (i.e., less severe symptoms) in the GCWB106 group (n=53) than the placebo group (n=57) (p=0.026, p=0.009, and p=0.025, respectively). Gene-gene interaction effects on GCWB106-mediated pain relief were then examined, and it was found that the addition of each genotype resulted in a greater decrease in VAS pain score in the GCWB106 group (p=0.0024) but not the placebo group (p=0.7734). Conclusions: These novel predictive markers for the pain-relieving effects of GCWB106 may be used in the personalized treatment of patients with OA.

Crossed Aphasia after Intracranial Hematoma in the Right Temporoparietal Lobe: A Case Report

Purpose: Aphasia in a dextral after right hemisphere injury is called crossed aphasia (CA). We are reporting a first case of transformation of motor aphasia to conduction aphasia after right hemisphere intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) associated with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with literature reviews.Methods: A case of a man in his 30s with CA following right hemisphere ICH in the temporal-parietal lobe associated with AVM was reviewed. We analyzed his brain images, initial linguistic characteristics, and changes in aphasia for 8 weeks of follow-up.Results: The initial Paradise Korean Western Aphasia Battery Revised (PK-WAB-R) was evaluated as aphasia quotient (AQ) 72, 64%ile; post evaluation was evaluated AQ 95, 98.9%ile after 8 weeks. The post-test repetition score was the patient score range, which can be attributed to impairment in phonological short-term memory. The patient is diagnosed anomalous CA based on Alexander et al., and we could predict that the language ability originates from both hemispheres based on Nagaraja et al. Considering the appearance of Gerstmann syndrome at the beginning of the onset, we could expect that the function of the dominant parietal lobe is partially crossed as well.Conclusion: Changes in aphasia were reported throughout the initial stage to the end of speech therapy. It is also important to note that literature review of Korean studies was analyzed in this study. It will be necessary to conduct a cognitive test in the early stage of onset to understand the language problems of crossed conduction aphasia to know the characteristics of the cognitive process.

Preventing cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment using integrated Korean and Western treatments: Initial results

AbstractBackgroundDespite the rapidly rising incidence of cognitive impairment, no current medications have proven effective for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The Integrated dementia clinic at Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital is a nationally recognized Korean‐Western (KW) clinic that provides the integrated medical service via co‐consultation by both neurologists and Korean medicine neuropsychologists.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to examine whether the integrated KW treatment prevents cognitive decline in patients with MCI as measured by changes in the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores over time.MethodWe retrospectively examined the medical records of patients from May 2015 to June 2020. Of 19 patients who were diagnosed as MCI, twelve MCI patients underwent MMSE at their initial visit to the clinic and at least once more over a period of up to 5 years. These twelve MCI patients divided into two groups: MMSE improvement group vs. MMSE worsening group. We performed the Wilcoxon rank sum test to compare the group achieving improvement in MMSE to decrease in MMSE. We also used the same test to assess the difference in the median length of follow‐up between the two groups.ResultThe prevalence of MCI seen during the review period was 23% (19/82). The baseline characteristics of patients with MCI were shown in Table 1. Among those twelve MCI patients who received integrated KW treatment, 67 % (8/12) of them achieved improvement in MMSE score, which was statistically significant (p‐value = 0.008) compared to those showing a decrease in MMSE score while the length of follow‐up was not significantly different between the two groups. The detailed treatment and changes in MMSE presented in Table 2. For treatment from Western medicine, anticonvulsants were most commonly prescribed, and donepezil was given to 63%. Acupuncture (100%), Moxibustion (100%), and herbal medicine (Gagam‐sohabhwangwon: 6/8,62.5 %) were most prescribed Korean medicine.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates, for the first time, that integrated KW treatment positively affects cognitive function in MCI patients with increases in MMSE scores over time. Further research with a larger data set, needs to be conducted to validate the effectiveness of integrative approach.

Analysis of medical services provided to patients with peripheral facial palsy in Korea: a descriptive, cross-sectional study of the health insurance review and assessment service national patient sample database

BackgroundThis cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study analyzed the demographics of patients with peripheral facial palsy in South Korea and their use of healthcare services.MethodsThe 2016 Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment National Patient Sample dataset was used; a total of 4790 patients, diagnosed with facial palsy, who had used healthcare services at least once between January 2016 and December 2016 were included, and data on the use of medical services, hospitalizations, sociodemographic factors, treatments, and medications were analyzed.ResultsOverall, 326 patients per 100,000 individuals used healthcare services at least once because of peripheral facial palsy in 2016, with higher numbers for women and those aged 50–59 years. The percentage of patients who used Korean traditional medicine (KM), Western medicine (WM), and both KM and WM was 54.4, 23.3, and 22.3%, respectively. Users of both WM and KM had higher per capita medical costs, more visits, and longer treatment durations. Physiotherapy was the most frequent WM treatment (44.4%), and “examinations” was the costliest (24.7%) category. “Procedures” was both the most frequent and costliest KM category (99.9 and 57.3%, respectively). “Continuous intravenous injections” (8.6%) and “superficial heat therapy” (8.3%) were the most frequent WM treatments, while acupuncture accounted for 98% of all KM treatments.ConclusionsThis study analyzed the demographic characteristics and medical service use of patients with peripheral facial palsy in detail. These results can be used as basic information to improve clinical and policy strategies for the management and treatment of peripheral facial palsy.

총설] 전환 시대에 ‘정체성’ 다지기: 2019~2020년 서양사 연구 동향

The basic objective of this paper is to examine recent research trends of Korean Western History Academia. Western History Research in Korea has grown significantly over the past half century. However, from the beginning of the new millennium, this academic sector has not developed any further and is in a state of stagnation. Academic achievements, research foundations, and social influence have largely receded. In particular, the future of Western history Academia is not very bright due to the decrease in the number of researchers, especially of young generation.<BR> Currently, the academia of Western history is divided into mainly national boundary divisions. The fragmentation of the research center resulted in a lack of mutual communication, which led to the stagnation of Western history Studies. It is difficult to have academic dialogues between researchers and seek joint research by related fields. Excessive specialization in historical studies tends to block the new trend of historical studies, transnational or global histories. In the face of internal and external crises, Western historians in Korea will have to remove the barriers between academic fields and increase communication between researchers.

Performance of Korean-English bilinguals on an adaptation of the screening bilingual aphasia test.

The use of standardized tests specifically designed for and normed on bilingual groups is crucial for the accurate diagnosis and language profiling of bilingual speakers with aphasia. Currently, there is a dearth of norms and supporting psychometric data for the few available bilingual aphasia assessments. The only available aphasia test for Korean-English (KE) bilinguals is the Korean-English Bilingual Aphasia Test (KE-BAT). The absence of bilingual normative data for the KE-BAT limits its clinical and research utility. (1) To revise the original screening KE-BAT to clarify ambiguities in its instructions and stimuli; and (2) to examine subtest and item performance across the two languages for the revised screening KE-BAT with a local sample of highly proficient KE bilinguals. The original screening KE-BAT was first revised to replace unrecognizable drawings, address ambiguities in the instructions and stimuli, and increase the number of items on naming subtests. This revised test is henceforth referred to as the adapted screening KE-BAT (AS KE-BAT). A total of 21 neurologically healthy, highly proficient and college-educated KE bilinguals (19-34 years old) were recruited from a large city in the United States. Participants completed three measures of language proficiency and the AS KE-BAT including the KE translation test (Part C). Total and subtest scores were compared across the two languages, and individual item accuracy was calculated. Incorrect responses of low scoring items were examined. Performance was comparable across Korean and English for all subtests, except for the spontaneous speech subtest. The item accuracy of 17 items (7% of total items) in the AS KE-BAT fell to < 80%, and four items (1.6% of total items) had an accuracy < 60%. Incorrect responses of low scoring items were caused by phoneme misperception, lexical substitution and morphosyntactic L2 patterns. The results of the study highlight the importance of empirically examining the performance of neurotypical bilinguals on bilingual aphasia assessments to establish their psychometric properties. Based on the small-sized local bilingual normative sample obtained in this study, appropriate cut-off criteria, recommendations for clinical interpretation and further modifications of the AS KE-BAT are proposed. What is already known on the subject The pair of English and Korean aphasia assessments (e.g., Western Aphasia Battery-Revised; WAB-R) (Kertesz 2012) and Korean Western Aphasia Battery (Kim and Na 2001) cannot be used to assess language impairments in KE bilinguals with aphasia since these tests have not been designed for and normed on the bilingual group. Clinical utility of the Korean-English Bilingual Aphasia Test (KE-BAT), which is the only resource currently available to assess KE bilinguals with aphasia, is greatly compromised by the lack of KE bilingual normative data. What this study adds to existing knowledge This study provides cut-off scores, comparability of test performance and item difficulty metrics and it identifies additional ways in which items and spontaneous speech scoring of the adapted screening KE-BAT (AS KE-BAT) could be modified. Suggested guidelines allow improved interpretations of the linguistic performance of local KE bilinguals with aphasia who have a similar demographic and linguistic background. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The AS KE-BAT with cut-off criteria of 95% for Part B and 80% for Part C is suitable for the language assessment of highly proficient and young KE bilinguals with a high level of education and it yields comparable performance across the two languages. Clinicians may decide to adjust spontaneous speech scoring criteria if the client's language history is suggestive of code-switching and use the item difficulty data to guide test item selection for this group of bilinguals.

Comparative Observational Study on the Effects of Intra-articular Hominis Placenta Pharmacopuncture and Acupoint Hominis Placenta Pharmacopuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

The aim of this case report was to observe the effects of intra-articular hominis placenta pharmacopuncture (HPP). Based on the medical records patients who received intra-articular treatment or received acupoint pharmacopuncture treatment, a comparison was made. There were 35 patients who were hospitalized for degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee joint from the 1&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; October 2019 to 26&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; September 2020. There were 14 patients who were treated with HPP in the intra-articular joint space (Group A), and 14 patients who were treated with HPP at specific acupoints (Group B). The outcome effects were measured using the Korean Western Ontario and Mc (KWOMAC) the visual analog scale (VAS) before the first treatment, and after the fifth treatment. The KWOMAC (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001) and the VAS scores (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001) in Groups A and B significantly improved after treatment compared with before treatment. When comparing Group A improvement with Group B improvement using the KWOMAC there was no statistically significant difference however, when using the VAS scores, Group A treatment was statistically more effective compared with Group B (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.002). This study indicated that HPP may be an effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Moreover, intra-articular HPP may be more effective than acupoint HPP for knee osteoarthritis.

The Korean Cultural Phenomenon Nunchi

This article examines the phenomenon of nunchi (being conscious of others’ or observing other people&amp;apos;s state of mind, behavior, and situation) in Korean culture. Nunchi is different from Korean collectivism (We, affection) and Western European culture, where individualism is more important than the needs of society. In Korea nunchi is accepted as essential for forming a sense of solidarity in relations with people. Silence and observation are an important part of an individual&amp;apos;s life and social interactions in Korean society. Observing the changes in the circumstances and the people around them in a group reveals the concerns of the Koreans for those close to them. The Koreans hide their opinions, do not speak directly, and tell white lies because they believe it is essential to avoid conflict with others. Korean politeness when they talk about their thoughts, either indirectly or with a hidden meaning, may raise questions from the Russians. In Korean society, it is necessary to keep an eye out. It is not a coincidence that the Westerns understood nunchi as a means of surviving in Korean society. However, the meaning of nunchi is not just a means to survive, but with the help of nunchi, Koreans try to predict other people&amp;apos;s minds and understand their true desires in order to accurately understand and socialize with them. Nunchi is a basic Korean etiquette. It has deep historical roots and is closely related to collectivism.

논쟁사를 통해서 본 한국 서양사학의 자기이해— 한국 독일사학회 현황과 방향을 중심으로 —

논쟁사를 통해서 본 한국 서양사학의 자기이해— 한국 독일사학회 현황과 방향을 중심으로 —

Effects of resistance exercise using the elastic band on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis.

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of resistance exercise using the elastic band on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis. [Participants and Methods] Thirty patients with degenerative knee arthritis were classified into an experimental group of 15 patients on whom resistance exercise using the elastic band was applied and a control group of 15 patients on whom conservative physical therapy was applied. Both groups received treatments three times a week for four weeks. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale and function was evaluated by the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (K-WOMAC). [Results] The intragroup comparison showed significant decreases in the visual analogue scale and the K-WOMAC in both the experimental and control groups. In the intergroup comparison after treatment, the experimental group showed significantly lower visual analogue scale and K-WOMAC values than the control group. [Conclusion] The results suggest that resistance exercise using the elastic band is an effective intervention for the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis.