• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.74-84
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• 2002

목적 : 본 실험에서는 gerbil을 이용한 전뇌허혈 동물모델에서 뇌허혈손상 직후 지연성 뇌손상에 대한 대황의 방어효과와 Apoptosis 과정중의 Bax와 Bcl-2 단백질에 대한 조절작용을 관찰하고, TUNEL 염색법을 통하여 대황이 gerbil hippocampus CAl영역의 pyramidal neuron의 세포사에 미치는 영향과 PCl2세포를 이용한 세포배양 모델에서의 대황의 신경방어 효과를 관찰하였다. 방법 : Mongolian gerbil의 총경동맥을 5분간 폐색하여 가역성 전뇌허혈을 유발시킨 후 대황의 전탕액을 하루에 한번 경구 투여하였다. 대황의 신경 보호 효과는 수술 7일 후에 cresyl violet으로 염색하여, 살아있는 신경 세포의 수를 세어 측정하였다. 또, 수술 3일 후에는 면역조직화학적 방범을 통하여 Bax. Bcl-2단백질의 발현과 대황의 신경보호 효과와의 관련성을 알아보았다. 결과： 가역적 전뇌허혈이 일어난 동물군의 경우 hippocampus의 CAl 영역에서 살아있는 신경세포의 수는 $51.0{\pm}2.5개{\;}/mm$에 불과하였으나, 그에 비해 수술 후 7일간 대황을 투여한 동물군은 $106.2{\pm}2.5개{\;}/mm$로 살아 있는 신경세포수가 크게 증가하였다. Apoptosis를 촉진하는 단백질인 Bax의 발현은 3일간 대황을 투여한 동물군의 경우 hippocampus의 CAl 영역에서 현저하게 저해되었고, Apoptosis를 억제하는 Bcl-2 단백질의 발현은 변화가 없었다. TUNEL assay를 통하여 살펴본 결과 대황 투여군의 apoptotic 신경세포사가 감소하였으며 이는 Bax protein의 발현과 유사한 양상을 나타내었다. 결론：대황이 Bax 단백질의 발현을 억제하여 상대적으로 Bax/Bcl-2 자연적 세포사를 억제하여 Mogolian gerbil의 가역성 전뇌허혈 모델에서 신경보호효과를 나타내는 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.479-486
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• 2011

In image-based CFD modeling of carotid bifurcation hemodynamics, it is often not possible (or at least not convenient) to impose measured velocity profiles at the common carotid artery inlet. Instead, fully-developed velocity profiles are usually imposed based on measured flow rates. However, some studies reported a pronounced influence of inflow boundary conditions that were based on actual velocity profiles measured by magnetic resonance imaging which showing the unusual presence of a high velocity band in the middle of the vessel during early diastole inconsistent with a Dean-type velocity profile. We demonstrated that those velocity profiles were induced by the presence of modest secondary curvature of the inlet and set about to test whether such more "realistic" velocity profiles might indeed have a more pronounced influence on the carotid bifurcation hemodynamics. We found that inlet boundary condition with axisymmetric fully-developed velocity profile(Womersley flow) is reasonable as long as sufficient CCA inlet length of realistic geometry is applied.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.207-213
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• 2005

The severity of carotid Intima-media thickness (IMT) is an Independent predictor of atherosclerosis which causes transient cerebral ischemia, stroke, and coronary events such as myocardial Infarction. The IMT consists of Intima thickness (IT) and media thickness (MT). However, the Individual clinical significance of IT and MT has not been well studied. We devised a method of measuring IT, MT, and IMT using B-mode ultrasound Image processing technique for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis. To inspect the clinical significance of IT, MT, and IMT, one hundred forty-four consecutive patients (mean age; 57 years old, 72 males) were underwent common carotid artery scanning using high-resolution ultrasound. Results showed that, the IT (p<0.05), MT (p<0.05) as well as IMT (p<0.01) of patients with atherosclerotic disease were significantly thicker than that of the patients without atherosclerotic disease. Patients with hyperiension showed significantly thicker IT (p<0.01), MT (p<0.001), and IMT (p<0.001). However, only IT was thicker in patients with smoking (p<0.01). The IT (r=0.374, p=0.001), MT (r=0.433, p=0.000), and IMT (r=0.479, p=0.000) showed positive correlation with age. The coefficients of determination ($r^2$) were estimated to be $92.4\%$ for IMT and MT, $49.1\%$ for IMT and IT, and $27.4\%$ for IT and MT. This result suggests that the Intima layer of the carotid artery has a different physiology with the media layer.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.308-315
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• 2017

Carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) test is a standardized ultrasound procedure that screens for and monitors atherosclerosis in a safe and non-invasive manner, even in individuals with no symptoms of heart disease. The purpose of this study was to research the relationship between CIMT, as measured by ultrasonography, and the degree of individual perceived stress. There was a total of 168 (male: 46, female: 122) university students in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, without other diseases. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. CIMT was measured in the right and left common carotid arteries 1 cm below the bifurcation, and internal carotid artery, using non-invasive high-resolution Medison Accuvix V20 prestige ultrasound equipment and perceived stress, was measured with the 10-item PSS (Perceived Stress Scale) questionnaire. This study indicates that PSS may be appropriate to estimate perceived stress levels and weight. Failure to control stress anxiety could lead to weight and CIMT soaring to dangerous levels, resulting in a myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident. There was a statistically significant difference between left CIMT (p<0.05) and weight (p<0.05) according to each stress classification. The results of this study suggest that the weight measurement is influenced in part by one's generalized stress levels. Future continuous studies should be conducted to test the influences of perceived stress and generalized anxiety on CIMT when these are many continuous variables.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 2024

In this study, we aimed to determine the effect on cerebral blood vessels of various stimulus intensities using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). In particular, we wanted to monitor changes in blood flow and structural changes in the blood vessels in the common carotid artery (CCA) through low-intensity electrical stimulation that can cause non-perceptual sensory stimulation. Twenty-four healthy adults in their 20s participated in this study. Three stimulus intensities (below the sensory threshold, at the sensory threshold, and above the sensory threshold) were applied in random order. Changes in blood flow velocity according to the intensity of TENS stimulus were measured by placing the Doppler ultrasound transducer 1 cm below the CCA bifurcation, and the vascular structure was measured using B-mode imaging. C-mode Doppler and B-mode images were acquired before, during, and after the intervention for each stimulus, and changes in blood pressure were measured in each session. As a result, it was confirmed that peak systolic velocity (PSV) decreased significantly after the intervention in non-perceived sensory stimulation below the threshold, compared to other thresholds (p = .008). In particular, the PSV decreased by 3.04% on average compared to before stimulation (p = .011). However, there was no significant change in the CCA diameters before and after stimulation at all intensities. It was found that short-term, non-perceptual sensory stimulation was effective in reducing the blood flow rate without causing significant changes in either the blood vessel diameter or blood pressure. This change appears to be caused by a decrease in blood flow due to the effect of subtle vasodilation at non-perceptual sensory stimulation, and at stimulation intensity higher than that, the sympathetic nerves in the blood vessels are stimulated excessively and the blood vessels constrict. Therefore, this study can be rated as an important attempt to control blood flow through stimulation without such a psychological burden and sensory discomfort in the carotid area.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.61-70
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the effects of voluntary intrathoracic pressure adjustment during the Valsalva maneuver (VM) on changes in prefrontal brain function and cerebral blood flow dynamics using diagnostic ultrasound and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Sixteen healthy adults performed VM by adjusting their expiratory pressure. Their regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) and oxidized hemoglobin (HbO) levels were measured to confirm changes in prefrontal lobe function. To confirm hemodynamic changes in cerebral blood vessels, this study measured peak systolic velocity (PSV), heart rate (HR), vascular stiffness (STIFF), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the common carotid artery before and after the VM. Results showed significant cerebrovascular physiological changes after 30mmHg VM. In particular, PSV increased significantly following VM, whereas PWV and STIFF significantly decreased. A similar trend was observed in 40mmHg VM to 30mmHg, but no significant change was observed except for HR, which showed a significant decrease. Furthermore, rSO2 tended to increase in the prefrontal region after preforming 30 and 40mmHg VM, but it did not show a significant difference. In contrast, HbO significantly decreased after performing 30 and 40mmHg VM. This trend did not show any difference depending on intrathoracic pressure. In conclusion, VM performance at both intrathoracic pressure levels has the same effect on brain function, but induces difference changes in cerebrovascular vessels' physiological function. Thus, at 40mmHg VM, it interferes with effective vascular relaxation due to high intrathoracic pressure. However, 30mmHg VM has an effective effect on cerebrovascular function by causing a significant increase in the elasticity of arterial blood vessels. Such VM performance can effectively improve cerebrovascular function.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 1991

인체에서 발견되는 전체 신경초종중 $25{\sim}40%$가 두경부에서 발견되나 경부미주신경의 신경초종은 매우 희귀하여 1988년까지 영문문헌상 88 예가 보고되어 있다. 임상적으로 경부종괴가 주증상이며 때로는 애성, 종괴촉지시 기침 혹은 방사통, parapharyngeal space 의 종괴성장으로 연하곤란등이 초래되기도 한다. 치료는 종괴의 완전적출과 미주신경의 기능을 보존시키는 것이 주요 목표로 되어 있다. 저자들은 최근 5년간 4 예의 정부미주신경외 신경초종을 경험하였는데, 3 예는 측경부의 상부에, 1예는 측경부의 하부에 발생한 것이었다. 연령은 25세에서 50세까지 성인연령이었고, 성별은 남자 l 예, 여자 3 예이었다. 내원시 주소는 전예가 무통성 경부종괴이었으며, 종괴의 크기는 직경 3cm에서 10cm까지 다양하였다. 전예에서 종괴로 인한 신경학적 증상은 없었으나, 1 예에서 parapharyngeal space 의 거대종괴 때문에 다소간의 연하곤란이 있었다. 2 에에서는 종괴촉지시 기침이 유발됨을 호소하였다. 수술은 경부횡절개로 흉쇄유돌근을 제치고 총경 동맥과 내경정맥을 종괴의 상하부위가 완전히 노출되도록 박리한 후 종괴의 피막을 미주 신경의 주행방향에 따라 절개하여 적출 (enucleation) 하였다. 적출술시 종괴가 유착되어 있는 피막 부위는 동시에 절제하되 미주신경의 신경경로 (neural pathway) 는 유지되도록 하였다. 수술직후 2 예에서 일시적 애성을 호소하였다, 추적은 최단 20 개월에서 최장 80 개월까지 하였는데 일시적 애성은 호전되었고 전예가 재발없이 건강하게 지내고 있었다. 따라서 본 종양수술은 종양적출술시 이환된 미주신경의 절단을 결정하기 전에 신경경로를 유지시킬 수 있는 적출술 (enucleation) 을 먼저 고려하는 것이 바람직하다고 사료되었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.170-180
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• 2008

Purpose : Some antibiotics were known to exert neuroprotective effects in the animal model of hypoxic-ischemic (H-I) brain injury, but the mechanism is still unclear. A recent study reported that geneticin (G418), an aminoglycoside antibiotic, increased survival of human breast cancer cells by suppressing apoptosis. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of systemically administrated geneticin via anti-apoptosis following the H-I brain injury Methods : Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat pups were subjected to unilateral (left) common carotid artery occlusion followed by 2.5 hours of hypoxic exposure and the cortical cell culture of rat brain was done under a hypoxic incubator. Apoptosis was measured in the injured hemispheres 7 days after H-I insult and in the injured cells from hypoxic chamber using morphologic analysis by Terminal dUTP Nick-end Labeling(TUNEL) assay and immunohistochemistry for caspase-3, and cytologic analysis by western blot and real time PCR for bax, bcl-2, and caspase-3. Results : The gross appearance and hematoxylin and eosin stain revealed increased brain volume in the geneticin-treated animal model of perinatal H-I brain injury. The TUNEL assay revealed decreased apoptotic cells after administration of geneticin in the cell culture model of anoxia. Immunohistochemistry showed decreased caspase-3 expression in geneticin-treated cortical cell culture. Western blot and real-time PCR showed decreased caspase-3 expression and decreased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 expression in geneticin-treated animal model. Conclusion : Geneticin appears to exert a neuroprotective effect against perinatal H-I brain injury at least via anti-apoptosis. However, more experiments are needed in order to demonstrate the usefulness of geneticin as a preventive and rescue treatment for H-I brain injuries of neonatal brain.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.1091-1096
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• 2007

Purpose : The of common carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) is an acknowledged noninvasive marker for early atherosclerotic changes. We investigate whether common carotid IMT is different between obese and normal-weight children and also evaluate the relationships IMT with cardiovascular risk factors. Methods : We collected the clinical data (age, sex, pubertal stage, body mass index) and measured blood pressure, glucose, insulin, lipid profiles and adiponectin in 49 obese children (mean age, 12 years) and 24 nonobese children as controls. The control group was composed of 24 nonobese children of the same age, sex and pubertal stage. We measured the carotid IMT of all subjects by B-mode ultrasound with a 7.5-MHz linear transducer and analyzed. Results : Obese children demonstrated a significantly thicker intima media (mean, 0.34 mm, peak, 0.42 mm) compared to the control group (mean, 0.31 mm, peak, 0.38 mm, P<0.01). IMT was significantly correlated to the BMI (r=0.431, P<0.01), age (r=0.317, P<0.01), total cholesterol (r=0.377, P< 0.01), triglyceride (r=0.253, P<0.05) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=0.289, P<0.05). Serum adiponectin was significantly lower in obese children than in controls (11.2 ng/mL vs. 14.7 ng/mL, P<0.05) and negatively related with IMT (r=-0.267, P<0.05). Conclusion : Obesity is associated with increased carotid artery IMT in children. Our results suggest vascular changes in obesity seem to occur already in childhood and vascular ultrasonography may helpful for screening cardiovascular complications in obese children.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.335-345
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• 1996

A critical role of oxygen-derived free radicals has been implicated in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced brain damage. In this study, we have produced experimental I/R to the brains of Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) by a transient occlusion and release of the common carotid arteries. We have attempted to determine whether the oxidative stress is generated upon I/R and whether this oxidative stress is linked to the cell damage. Since hippocampus has been suggested as one of the most vulnerable regions of the brain to the oxidative stress, we analyzed samples from hippocampus in comparison with those from cortex. In addition, we have examined the expression of heat shock protein 70kD species (HSP70) in these regions in order to evaluate a possible role of this protein in I/R-induced brain damage. To determine whether the oxidative stress is produced upon I/R, we measured the glutathione oxidation, GSSG/ (GSH + 2xGSSG), as an index of oxidative stress. We found an increase of the glutathione oxidation primarily in hippocampus upon I/R. To determine whether this oxidative stress is linked to the cell damage, we measured the degree of lipid peroxidation upon I/R. We found an increase of lipid peroxidation in both regions. However, the magnitude of increases was greater in hippocampus than in cortex. In addition, we found that changes in both the magnitude and the temporal patterns of glutathione oxidation closely correlated with those of lipid peroxidation. Our study provides biochemical evidences that the oxidative stress is generated upon I/R and this oxidative stress is linked to the oxidative cell damage. Our study also provides evidences that the degree of oxidative stress as well as oxidative cell damage is greater in hippocampus than in cortex. We could not find difference in the basal level of HSP70 expression between hippocampus and cortex, indicating that the intrinsic vulnerability of hippocampus cannot be explained by the lower level of HSP70 expression. We did find, however, that the induction of HSP70 expression upon I/R was impaired in the hippocampus. This impairment appeared to be at the transcriptional level. These results suggest that the measurement of HSP70 induction may be employed as a useful predictor of differential cellular susceptibilities to the I/R-induced brain damage.