Background/purpose Conventional treatment methods for acne vulgaris have various side effects such as the development of bacterial resistance, phototoxicity, vertigo, gastro-intestinal problems, and drug eruptions. To minimize such side effects, light and thermal methods have been alternately suggested. This study characterized a new acne vulgaris treatment device (AVTD) that combines both light and thermal methods and evaluated its clinical efficacy. Methods We characterized the thermal and light properties of the AVTD itself and evaluated its thermal characteristics in ex vivo porcine skin samples. The Arrhenius equation was used to calculate the skin thermal injury coefficient to confirm the skin safety of the AVTD. Finally, the clinical efficacy of the AVDT was evaluated by analyzing cross-polarization and erythema index images, which were obtained from 13 volunteers undergoing treatment with the AVTD. Results The temperature of the AVTD itself was maintained at 49.1 °C on the tip and 39.7 °C in the porcine skin samples. The peak intensity of the light-emitting diode (LED) light was observed at 468 nm. The skin safety of the AVTD was confirmed and 84.2% of the volunteers presented positive treatment results. Conclusion The treatment of acne using the AVTD resulted in a high treatment rate in a clinical study, minimizing side effects. On the basis of these results, we can be sure that the AVTD may be effectively used for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Cupping therapy has been used to extensive diseases. However, the research was yet to meridian and acupoint's change of state caused by Cupping. This study was considered a human-ripple effect by the anlaysis of meridian & acupoint's change of state. We developed the system which is keeps 30㎪ Negative-pressure and stimulated on the Left Lung Meridian(LU) a halfway point between LU4 and LU5. We checked moisture and elasticity change on left/right acupoints & non-acupoints, then measured EMG Signal. We observed that moisture had little change(12.49%) and the better part of the elasticity on both sides had identified the change(64.42%). The number of the provoked acupoiunt elasticity change was more than non-acupoint. Also, elasticity change of Right side was more than Left side. We confirmed that RMS and Median Power change patterns were lower in proportional to the elastin change, but there was no significance about Median Frequency. Therefore inducing the change of elasticity and EMG signal on meridian-acupoints. Therefore, We checked the human-ripple effect Negative-pressure by the Cupping therapy.

Purpose Under the South Korea's unique health insurance structure, any new surgical technology must be evaluated first by the government in order to consider whether that particular technology can be applied to patients for further clinical trials as categorized as ‘New Health Technology,’ then potentially covered by the insurance sometime later. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the safety and efficacy of transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) for rectal cancer, activated by the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA) TaTME committee. Methods We systematically searched Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-Embase, Cochrane, and Korean databases (from their inception until August 31, 2019) for studies published that compare TaTME with laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME). End-points included perioperative and pathological outcomes. Results Sixteen cohort studies (7 for case-matched studies) were identified, comprising 1,923 patients (938 TaTMEs and 985 LaTMEs). Regarding perioperative outcomes, the conversion rate was significantly lower in TaTME (risk ratio, 0.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.11–0.34; P < 0.001); whereas other perioperative outcomes were similar to LaTME. There were no statistically significant differences in pathological results between the 2 procedures. Conclusion Our meta-analysis showed comparable results in preoperative and pathologic outcomes between TaTME and LaTME, and indicated the benefit of TaTME with low conversion. Extensive evaluations of well-designed, multicenter randomized controlled trials are required to come to unequivocal conclusions, but the results showed that TaTME is a potentially beneficial technique in some specific cases. This meta-analysis suggests that TaTME can be performed for rectal cancer patients as a ‘New Health Technology’ endorsed by NECA in South Korea.