Effectiveness of the Novel Herbal Medicine, KIOM-MA, and Its Bioconversion Product, KIOM-MA128, on the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis

This study was conducted to determine if oral administration of the novel herbal medicine, KIOM-MA, and its Lactobacillus acidophilus-fermented product, KIOM-MA128, has therapeutic properties for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). Using AD-induced BALB/c mice by Ovalbumin and aluminum hydroxide, the effectiveness of KIOM-MA and KIOM-MA128 on AD was evaluated. Oral administration of KIOM-MA and KIOM-MA128 reduced major clinical signs of AD including erythema/darkening, edema/papulation, excoriations, lichenification/prurigo, and dryness. Interestingly, KIOM-MA128 more significantly improved AD-related symptoms including decrease of IgE level in the plasma as well as reduction of scratching behavior, skin severity in the AD BALB/c model. HPLC analysis showed the significant changes in the constituent patterns between KIOM-MA and KIOM-MA128. Our results suggest that both KIOM-MA and KIOM-MA128 have potential for therapeutic reagent for the treatment of AD, and further, the efficacy is significantly enhanced by L. acidophilus fermentation via increases in its indicator molecule

The Influence of Preoperative Bladder Outlet Obstruction on Continence and Satisfaction in Patients with Stress Urinary Incontinence after Midurethral Sling

Purpose We studied the influence of preoperative bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) on postoperative continence rates and patient satisfaction after the midurethral sling procedure. Methods A total of 159 women who underwent the midurethral sling procedure were evaluated. Using the Blaivas-Groutz nomogram, we assigned the patients were assigned to Group I (n=37, no obstruction), Group II (n=89, mild obstruction), or Group III (n=33, moderate to severe obstruction). Continence rates, patient satisfaction, urinary sensation scale and uroflowmetry were evaluated postoperatively. Results There were no significant differences in continence rates, satisfaction, or postoperative maximal flow rate between the 3 groups. Postoperative urgency was improved after surgery in Groups I and II (P<0.05) but not in Group III. Conclusions BOO does not seem to be a risk factor for failure after the midurethral sling procedure. However, BOO may be considered as a potential factor for persistent storage symptoms after the midurethral sling

Seismic evaluation of asymmetric wall systems using a modified three-dimensional capacity spectrum method

This paper proposes a modified three-dimensional capacity spectrum method to efficiently evaluate the seismic behavior of a building structure with asymmetric walls, where twisting is induced due to lateral loading. This method utilizes the demand surfaces and capacity curves that are created based on the inelastic earthquake response and seismic capacity of the asymmetric wall system, respectively. These two parameters are calculated from the displacement, torsional rotation angle and force coordinates of the structure under seismic loading. The seismic retrofit strategy of existing structures can be effectively determined by applying the proposed three-dimensional capacity spectrum method. In this procedure, a new performance point indicating the enhanced performance of the structure can be easily found by the modification of demand surfaces or capacity curves. The seismic evaluation and retrofitting strategies based on this approach are also discussed

Artificial Intelligence-Based Speech Analysis System for Medical Support

Purpose Prior research has indicated that stroke can influence the symptoms and presentation of neurogenic bladder, with various patterns emerging, including abnormal facial and linguistic characteristics. Language patterns, in particular, can be easily recognized. In this paper, we propose a platform that accurately analyzes the voices of stroke patients with neurogenic bladder, enabling early detection and prevention of the condition. Methods In this study, we developed an artificial intelligence-based speech analysis diagnostic system to assess the risk of stroke associated with neurogenic bladder disease in elderly individuals. The proposed method involves recording the voice of a stroke patient while they speak a specific sentence, analyzing it to extract unique feature data, and then offering a voice alarm service through a mobile application. The system processes and classifies abnormalities, and issues alarm events based on analyzed voice data. Results In order to assess the performance of the software, we first obtained the validation accuracy and training accuracy from the training data. Subsequently, we applied the analysis model by inputting both abnormal and normal data and tested the outcomes. The analysis model was evaluated by processing 30 abnormal data points and 30 normal data points in real time. The results demonstrated a high test accuracy of 98.7% for normal data and 99.6% for abnormal data. Conclusions Patients with neurogenic bladder due to stroke experience long-term consequences, such as physical and cognitive impairments, even when they receive prompt medical attention and treatment. As chronic diseases become increasingly prevalent in our aging society, it is essential to investigate digital treatments for conditions like stroke that lead to significant sequelae. This artificial intelligence-based healthcare convergence medical device aims to provide patients with timely and safe medical care through mobile services, ultimately reducing national social costs

Small intestinal model for electrically propelled capsule endoscopy

The aim of this research is to propose a small intestine model for electrically propelled capsule endoscopy. The electrical stimulus can cause contraction of the small intestine and propel the capsule along the lumen. The proposed model considered the drag and friction from the small intestine using a thin walled model and Stokes' drag equation. Further, contraction force from the small intestine was modeled by using regression analysis. From the proposed model, the acceleration and velocity of various exterior shapes of capsule were calculated, and two exterior shapes of capsules were proposed based on the internal volume of the capsules. The proposed capsules were fabricated and animal experiments were conducted. One of the proposed capsules showed an average (SD) velocity in forward direction of 2.91 ± 0.99 mm/s and 2.23 ± 0.78 mm/s in the backward direction, which was 5.2 times faster than that obtained in previous research. The proposed model can predict locomotion of the capsule based on various exterior shapes of the capsule