• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.747-752
• /
• 2003

Many clinical studies have suggested that the blood flow in ideal geometry is involved in the development of atherosclerosis. This study simulated blood flow in the abdominal artery with real geometry to investigate MWSS(mean wall shear stress), AWSS(amplitude of wall shear stress) and OSI(oscillator shear index). The calculation grid for the real geometry was constructed by extracting the surface of arterial wall from CT(Computed Tomography) or MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) sheets called as DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicines). The calculated MWSS, AWSS and OSI are much different from those of ideal geometry calculation. The MWSS increased while the AWSS decreased. Many shear forces are related to shapes of gradient. This paper will give clinical datum where the MWSS, AWSS and OSI are strong or weak. The hemodynamic analysis based on real geometry can provide surgeons with more reliable information about the effect of blood flow.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1119-1126
• /
• 1998

Background: In this study, we investigated the early time course of expression of the major histocompatibility(MHC) antigens, intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), interleukin-6 and the histopathological changes in the coronary arteries of cardiac allografts exchanged between inbred mice strains that differ in one loci of class I major histocompatibility antigen (B10.BR to B10.A). Material and Method: No immunosuppressive therapy was used. Both allografts and the hearts of the recipients were harvested at 7(group 1, n=6), 15(group 2, n=6), 21(group 3, n=6), and 30(group 4, n=6) days after transplantation. They were examined by immunohistochemistry, microscopy and morphometry. All allografts had contractions at the time of harvest. Result: A strong MHC class I antigen expression was present on the endothelial and medial cells of the coronary arteries in group 1 and remained unchanged in the rest of the groups. However, MHC class II reactivity was none or very little at any time. Mild to moderate ICAM-1 expression was observed on the endothelial cells, but not on the medial cells at any time by 30 days. VCAM-1 expression was strong both on the endothelial and medial cells at any time. Moderate degree expression of interleukin-6 was observed from 7 to 30 day specimens. Histopathologically, percentage of affected vessels(vessels with intimal thickening) was less than 10 % in 7 day group and increased up to 50 % at 30 days. Mean percent narrowing of the lumen of the affected vessels revealed less than 20 % at 7 days and 40 % at 30 days. The area occupied by tropomyosin positive cells in the intimal lesion, graded from 0 to 3, showed gradual increase but remained between grade 0 to 1 by 30 days. Medial integrity was also well preserved at any time. Moderate perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration was observed at 7 days and it was progressively increased upto 30 days. Recipients' heart revealed no positive immunopathologic findings. Conclusion: In this study, the early time course of progression of the transplantation vasculopathy was demonstrated in the murine heterotopic heart transplant model.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.115-122
• /
• 2013

Disease diagnostics based on medical imaging is getting popularity day by day. Presence of the atherosclerosis is one of the causes of narrowing of carotid arteries which may block partially or fully blood flow into the brain. Serious brain strokes may occur due to such types of blockages in blood flow. Early detection of the plaque and taking precautionary steps in this regard may prevent from such type of serious strokes. In this paper, we present an automatic image segmentation technique for carotid artery ultrasound images based on active contour approach. In our experimental study, we assume that ultrasound images are properly aligned before applying automatic image segmentation. We have successfully applied the automatic segmentation of carotid artery ultrasound images using snake based model. Qualitative comparison of the proposed approach has been made with the manual initialization of snakes for carotid artery image segmentation. Our proposed approach successfully segments the carotid artery images in an automated way to help radiologists to detect plaque easily. Obtained results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

• Journal of health informatics and statistics
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.49-56
• /
• 2016

Objectives: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the presence of carotid artery plaque are widely used as preclinical markers of atherosclerosis. Due to operator dependency in measuring CIMT, it is important to evaluate the reliability of measuring CIMT and plaque between centers in a multicenter study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of CIMT and plaque presence among three clinical centers of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center (CMERC). Methods: Twenty people without known cardiovascular disease (age 37-64) were enrolled during 2014-2015, and their left and right carotid arteries were examined repeatedly with ultrasonography for CIMT measurements at three clinical centers according to a predetermined protocol. Maximum and mean values of CIMT at distal common carotid artery were recorded. Plaque presence at a carotid artery was checked by an operator. The reliability of CIMT and carotid plaque presence was assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa statistics, respectively. Results: Calculated ICC was 0.647 (95% CI: 0.487-0.779) for maximum CIMT, and 0.758 (95% CI: 0.632- 0.854) for mean CIMT. In Bland Altman plot, most observed values were distributed within mean difference ${\pm}1.96$ SD ranges. Kappa statistics of plaque presence between two centers were 0.304 (center 1 and 2), 0.507 (center 1 and 3), and 0.606 (center 2 and 3), respectively, while Fleiss kappa for overall agreement was 0.445. Conclusions: The inter-rater reliability of CIMT measurements among three clinical centers turned out to be high, and the agreement of measuring carotid plaque presence was fair.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.467-475
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate the vasodilatation effect of kirenol isolated from Sigesbeckia pubescens on the rabbit basilar artery. In this study, to determine the vasodilatation effect of kirenol on the rabbit basilar artery, arterial rings with intact or damaged endothelium were used for the experiment. And used an organ bath and force transducer were contracted by endothelin. Kirenol, major active constituents of S. pubescens, showed a moderate vasodilatation effect on the basilar arteries of rabbits. Therefore, treatment with kirenol may selectively accelerate cerebral blood flow through dilatation of the basilar artery. This result suggests a potential role of kirenol isolated from S. pubescens as a source of vasodilatation agent.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.525-531
• /
• 2016

Cynanchum wilfordii Radix (CWR), Arctium lappa L (ALL), and Dioscorea opposite (DO) have been known to improve blood lipid profile, blood pressure, and inflammation. To find the optimal combination ratio of CWR, ALL, and DO in terms of vascular health improvement, we compared the effects of various combinations on gene expression of Vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1) in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC). VCAM-1 mediates endothelial leukocyte adhesion and is upregulated in atherosclerosis. Cells was stimulated by TNF-α (10 ng/㎖, 2h) and treated with various combinations for 24 h. A combination (CADM5, CWR:ALL:DO = 2:1:1) showed the strongest suppression of VCAM-1 so that CADM5 was chosen for further experiments. We performed cell viability test with CADM5 (0, 3.125, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 ㎍/㎖) and no cytotoxicity was found. We also investigated the effect of CADM5 on protein expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, Nrf-2, and HO-1 using western blotting. We found that CADM5 diminished the expression of VCAM-1 and increased the expression of Nrf-2 and HO-1. Therefore, we concluded that CADM5 (CWR:ALL:DO = 2:1:1) effectively improves vascular health by regulating the expression of VCAM-1.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.87-93
• /
• 2009

Background/aim : Atherosclerotic disease at the origin of the vertebral arteries is one of the risk factors for vertebrobasilar ischemic disease. Assessment and visualization of the origin of the vertebral arteries with color doppler sonography is a non-trivial task. The aim of this study is to increase the visualization rate of the origin of the vertebral arteries with color doppler sonography. Materials and Methods : Color doppler sonography for the vertebral arteries included carotid arteries was performed to 198 patients. We first examined the vertebral artery in the upper neck in the direction of the subclavian artery to distinguish its origin more easily. If the vertebral artery origin was not visualized in natural position, the examiner pushed the transducer toward a clavicle or pushed the shoulder of patient by the other hand. The technical methods for visualization of the vertebral artery origin were classified into three grades: natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient according to the depth (3.0 cm and shallower, deeper than 3.0 cm) of the origin. Results : The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 97% on the right and in 92% on the left. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 98.6%, 1.4%, and 0.0% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at shallower than 3.0 cm on the right side. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 81.2%, 14.6%, and 4.2% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at deeper than 3.0 cm on the right side. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 85.4%, 10.7%, and 3.9% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at shallower than 3.0 cm on the left side. The origin of the vertebral arteries could be visualized in 55.7%, 30.4%, and 13.9% in natural position, pushing the transducer, and pushing the shoulder of patient, respectively, at deeper than 3.0 cm on the left side. Conclusion : If the examiner pushes the transducer toward a clavicle or pushes the shoulder of patient by the other hand, when the vertebral artery origin during the color doppler sonography is not visualized in natural position, visualization rate of the origin of the both vertebral arteries is increased.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.56-63
• /
• 2004

Background: Patch angioplasty is an alternative surgical procedure to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for left main coronary ostial stenosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of patch angioplasty by analyzing the short-term and long-term results. Material and Method: Twenty nine patients who had undergone patch angioplasty due to left main coronary ostial stenosis between July 1991 and May 2003 were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 53.1 $\pm$12.5 years. There were 8 males and 21 females, and there were 12 female patients who had no risk factor for atherosclerosis. Twenty six (89.7%) patients showed isolated coronary ostial stenosis without any distal coronary lesion. Result: Anterior approach was used in 28 patients and superior approach was used in one patient. Transsection of the main pulmonary artery was used in one patient. Concomitant CABG was performed in 4 patients because of left anterior descending artery lesions in 3 patients and unstable postoperative hemodynamic status in one patient. Hospital mortality had occurred in one patient (3.4%) and late mortality also in one patient, therefore the overall 5 year survival rate was 91.2$\pm$6.1%. Seventeen coronary angiographies were done in 13 patients (44.8%) postoperatively. Two distal patch stenoses, 1 proximal patch stenosis, and 1 new right coronary ostial lesion were identified and 3 percutaneous interventions and 1 CABG were performed during the follow-up period. The overall 5 year freedom from reintervention rate was 82.4 $\pm$ 8.5%. Aortic regurgitation less than grade 1 had developed postoperatively in 4 patients and one patient showed progression of preexisting aortic regurgitation from grade II to III. Conclusion: Patch angioplasty in left main coronary ostial lesion showed acceptable short-term and long-term results in this study. However, restenosis at the patch anastomosis site and aortic regurgitation should be carefully investigated during the follow-up period.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Community Living Science Conference
• /
• 2009.09a
• /
• pp.77-77
• /
• 2009

쇠비름(Portulaca oleracea L.)은 쇠비름과(Portulacaceae)에 속하는 일년생 초본으로 우리나라 각지에 5~9월에 걸쳐 자생하고 있다. 한국보다는 중국에서 식용으로 애용되고 있으며, 해열, 이뇨, 산혈 등의 효능이 있어 임질, 요도염, 유종, 대하증, 임파선염 등에 약용으로 사용하고 있다. 쇠비름의 성분으로는 vitamin $B_1$ 및 C, saponin, tannin, flavonoid, dopamine, noradrenalin 등이 보고되었다. 쇠비름에 관한 연구로는 항산화효과, 항균효과 및 해독효과가 발표되었으나, 고지혈증에 관한 연구는 미흡한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 고콜레스테를 유발식이에서 쇠비름 에탄을 추출물이 혈청 중 지질에 미치는 영향에 대해 검토하고자 하였다. 실험동물은 6주령의 Sprague Dawley 흰쥐 수컷을 각 실험군당 10마리씩, AIN-93M을 기본으로 하여 대조군(고지방식이), 쇠비름 에탄올 추출물 투여군의 3군(고지방식이+25mg/kg, 75mg/kg, 125mg/kg)으로 나누어 4주간 실험 식이를 급여하고 사육기간 중 사료 섭취량, 체중증가율, 식이효율을 측정하였다. 실험 종료 후, 혈액을 채취하여 혈액에서의 total lipid, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol은 효소법을 이용한 kit(아산제약)을 사용하여 측정하였고, 심혈관계 질환의 위험도에 이용되는 동맥경화지수는(atherogenic index, AI) 계산식을 이용하여 산출하였다. 실험결과, 최종체중, 체중증가율, 식이효율 및 장기무게는 실험군 간의 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 그러나 고지방식이에 쇠비름 에탄올 추출물을 125mg/kg의 농도로 병합 투여했을 때 혈중의 total lipid, total cholesterol 및 triglyceride는 대조군에 비해 유의적으로 감소하였으며, 고지방식이에 의해 증가된 동맥경화지수도 대조군에 비하여 유의적으로 저하되었다. 그리고 고지방식이로 증가된 ALT 및 AST 활성이 쇠비름 에탄올 추출물 투여로 유의적으로 감소하였다. 따라서 쇠비름 에탄올 추출물은 혈청 중 지질 개선 효과와 간 기능 개선효과가 있는 것으로 사료되나, 어떤 성분이 콜레스테롤 저하 효과를 나타내는지 보다 자세한 연구가 요구되어 진다.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.513-524
• /
• 1993

mechanisms for the hypocholesterolemic effects of $\beta$-glucan remain unclear. Rats were divided into 3 groups ; normal control group, atherogenic group(oral administration of cholesterol 40 mg/kg/day plus vit. $D_2$ 320,000 IU/kg/day), $\beta$-glucan treatment group(atherogenic treatment plus $\beta$-glucan 0.135 g/kg/day). The $\beta$-glucan treatment group showed moderate increases of serum lipids concentration compared with atherogenic group. In histopathological examination, aortas showed no critical lesions. The total fecal neutral sterols and bile acids excreted for 6 days was increased compared with both normal and atherogenic group. To compare effects of soluble fiber and insoluble fiber extracted from barley on postprandial lipemia, 5 healthy male adults ingested on separate days a low-fiber(total dietary fiber 2.61g) control meal or dietary fiber-enriched(12.61g) meals. Fasting and postprandial blood samples were obtained for 6.5h and serum lipids were analyzed. The serum total lipids, total cholesterols, LDL & VLDL-cholesterol were markedly reduced with soluble fiber-enriched meals, but no decrease with insoluble fiber-enriched meals. These results suggest that mechanisms for the hypocholesterolemic effect of $\beta$-glucan on rats were due to the inhibition of cholesterol absorption in the intestinal lumen and acceleration of cholesterol catabolism in the liver. And the soluble dietary fiber($\beta$-glucan) has the hypocholesterolemic effect by dropping serum LDL & VLDL-cholesterol in the clinical study.