• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2002

It has been well known that Korea red ginseng has an antihypertensive effect. The antihypertensive effect may be due to its ability to change the peripheral resistance. Change of vascular tone in the resistance-sized artery contribute to the peripheral resistance, thereby regulate the blood pressure. Therefore, we investigated to clarify the vasorelaxing mechanism induced by crude saponin of Korea red ginseng in the resistance-sized mesenteric artery of rats. The resistance-sized mesenteric artery was isolated and cut into a ring. The ring segment was immersed in HEPES-buffered solution and its isometric tension was measured using myograph force-displacement transducer. Crude saponin of ginseng relaxed the mesenmetric arterial rings precontracted with norepinephrine (3$\mu$M) in dose-dependent manner (0.01 mg/㎖ -1 mg/㎖. The relaxation by crude saponin was smaller in endothelium-intact preparation than that in endothelium-denuded preparation. The contraction induced by A23187 or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate was not affected by crude saponin of ginseng. The vasorelaxing effect of crude saponin of ginseng was significantly attenuated by the increase of the extracellular K$\^$+/ concentration. Crude saponin-induced vasorelaxation was not affected by tetraethylammonium (1 mM), glybenclamide (10$\mu$M), and 4-aminopyridine (0.1 mM) in these preparations. Ba$\^$2+/(10$\mu$M ∼100$\mu$M) markedly reduced the crude saponin-induced vasorelakation dose-dependently. From the above results, we suggest that crude saponin of ginseng may stimulate K$\^$+/ efflux and hyperpolarize the membrane, thereby cause the vasorelaxation in the resistance-sized mesenteric artery of rats.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.326-331
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• 2012

In this study, expanded poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) (ePTFE) graft was modified to be used as a hemodialysis vascular access. Biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide-$co$-glycolide) (PLGA) was coated onto the inner surface of ePTFE graft with paclitaxel, which is often used as an anti-cancer agent and for reducing neointimal hyperplasia. Surface characterization before and after PLGA coating was carried out by SEM and ATR-FTIR. Porous sturcture of ePTFE was maintained after coating of PLGA solution. The amounts of coated PLGA and paclitaxel determined by ATR-FTIR and HPLC were 1.96 and 0.263 mg/$cm^2$, respectively. Young's modulus was decreased and tensile strength was increased by PLGA coating. Released paclitaxel as a function of incubation time was monitored by HPLC. Approximately 35% of coated paclitaxel was released steadily for 4 weeks with the biodegradation of PLGA. From these results, it is expected that the effect of paclitaxel on reducing neointimal hyperplasia and stenosis is maintained for a long time.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.55-67
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• 2017

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to apply the disinfection method using chlorhexidine in practice on disinfection of vascular access for hemodialysis. Methods: This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial for examining effectiveness on infection of the vascular access device for hemodialysis when using chlorhexidine and betadine/alcohol. One-hundred-thirty study participants were separated into two groups randomly. Infection signs of the vascular access device for hemodialysis were observed and recorded before disinfection on vascular access device. Result: Before the study, there was no difference between the experimental group (chlorhexidine group) and the control group (betadine/alcohol group) in general characteristics and hematological index. Incidence of infection rate of chlorhexidine group was 0 percent and the betadine/alcohol group was 1.5 percent. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: This study examined the effectiveness of prevention of infection with the disinfection method using chlorhexidine and betadine/alcohol. The disinfection method using chlorhexidine is considered an effective and alternative method of betadine/alcohol.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.64-67
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• 2002

Eisenmenger's syndrome is the disease of right to left shunt developing from the increased pulmonary vascular resistance caused by excessive pulmonary blood flow in patients with abnormal connections of systemic to pulmonary blood passage. The heart-lung transplantation was the only curative method in early transplantation period, but good results after bilateral lung transplantation have been reported as the fact that right heart function improved by only lung transplantation. We successfully carried out bilateral sequential single lung transplantation in a 34-year-old female patient with Eisenmenger's syndrome with large PDA. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Broadcast Engineers Conference
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• 2011.07a
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• pp.454-455
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• 2011

미토콘드리아의 수송은 치매, 다형성 경화증, 알츠하이머병 등의 신경성 질환과 관련하여 활발하게 연구되고 있다. 하지만 미토콘드리아 영상의 경우 일반 영상에 비해 노이즈(noise)가 많고 초당 프레임 수(frame-persecond)가 낮기 때문에 분석이 쉽지 않다. 이에 따라 미토콘드리아의 수송 통로인 축색돌기(axon)를 사전에 검출하고자 하는 연구들이 진행되고 있다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 배경을 바탕으로 미토콘드리아 영상에서 축색돌기를 자동으로 분리, 검출해내는 알고리즘을 제안한다. 배경이 비해 밝게 착색되어 있다는 미토콘드리아의 특성을 이용하여 축색돌기를 구분하는 데에 최대 화소값 기법(maximum intensity)과 혈관 증폭 필터(vessel enhancement filter)를 이용한다. 두 기법을 통해 얻은 축색돌기의 파편들은 로젠펠드 세선화(rosenfeld thinning)와 선형 보간법(linear interpolation)을 이용하여 연결되고 최종적인 검출 결과를 얻어낸다. 제시된 실험결과는 영상에서 전체적인 축색돌기가 성공적으로 검출되고 있음을 보여준다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.862-870
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• 2002

The surgical results of the patients with single ventricle(SV) associated with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection(TAPVC) has been reported with high mortality and morbidity due to their morphologic and hemodynamic complexity. A retrospective review was undertaken to report the outcome of the first-stage palliative surgery in our institution and to determine the factors influencing early death. Material and Method: Between January 1987 and June 2002, 39 patients with SV and TAPVC underwent surgical intervention with or without TAPVC repair. Age at operation ranged from 1day to 10.7months (median age, 2.4month), and 29 patients were male. Preoperative diagnosis included 20 right-dominant SV, 15 SV with endocardial cushion defect, 3 left-dominant SV, and 1 tricuspid atresia. The pulmonary venous connection was supracardiac in 22, cardiac in 5, infracardiac in 11, and mixed in 1, Obstructed TAPVC was present in 11. First-stage palliative surgery was performed in 37. Repair of TAPVC, either alone or in association with other procedures, was performed during the initial operation in 31. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to analyze the risk factors influencing the operative death. Result: A mean follow-up period of survivors was 34.3 $\pm$ 43.0(0.53 ~ 146.2)months. Overall early operative mortality was 43.6%(17/39). The causes were low cardiac output in 8, failure of weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass in 3, sepsis in 2, pulmonary hypertensive crisis in 1, pulmonary edema in 1, pneumonia in 1, and postoperative arrhythmia in 1. Risk factors influencing early death in univariate analysis were body weight, surgical intervention in neonate, obstructive TAPVC, preoperative conditions including metabolic acidosis, and need for inotropic support, TAPVC repair in initial operation, operative time, and cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) time. In multivariable analysis, body weight, age at initial operation, surgical intervention in neonate, preoperative conditions including metabolic acidosis, need for inotropic support and CPB time were the risk factors. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated that the patients with SV and TAPVC had high perioperative mortality. Preoperative poor condition, young age, the length of operative and CPB time, the presence of obstructive TAPVC had been proven to be the risk factors. This fact suggests that the avoidance of unnecessarily additional procedures may improve the surgical outcomes of the first-stage palliative surgery. However further observation and collection of the data is mandatory to determine the ideal surgical strategy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.175-188
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• 2022

Relaxin has been demonstrated to have regulatory functions on both the smooth muscle and extracellular matrix (ECM) of blood vessels and fibrotic organs. The diverse mechanisms by which relaxin acts on small resistance arteries and fibrotic organs, including the bladder, are reviewed here. Relaxin induces vasodilation by inhibiting the contractility of vascular smooth muscles and by increasing the passive compliance of vessel walls through the reduction of ECM components, such as collagen. The primary cellular mechanism whereby relaxin induces arterial vasodilation is mediated by the endothelium-dependent production of nitric oxide (NO) through the activation of RXFP1/PI3K, Akt phosphorylation, and eNOS. In addition, relaxin triggers different alternative pathways to enhance the vasodilation of renal and mesenteric arteries. In small renal arteries, relaxin stimulates the activation of the endothelial MMPs and EtB receptors and the production of VEGF and PlGF to inhibit myogenic contractility and collagen deposition, thereby bringing about vasodilation. Conversely, in small mesenteric arteries, relaxin augments bradykinin (BK)-evoked relaxation in a time-dependent manner. Whereas the rapid enhancement of the BK-mediated relaxation is dependent on IK_Ca channels and subsequent EDH induction, the sustained relaxation due to BK depends on COX activation and PGI₂. The anti-fibrotic effects of relaxin are mediated by inhibiting the invasion of inflammatory immune cells, the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), and the differentiation and activation of myofibroblasts. Relaxin also activates the NOS/NO/cGMP/PKG-1 pathways in myofibroblasts to suppress the TGF-β1-induced activation of ERK1/2 and Smad2/3 signaling and deposition of ECM collagen.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2004

Stretch-activated channels (SACs) responds to membrane stress with changes in open probability (Po). They play essential roles in regulation of cell volume and differentiation, vascular tone, and in hormonal secretion. SACs highly present in Xenopus oocytes and Ascidian oocytes are suggested to be involved in the regulation of pH and fluid transport to balance the osmotic pressure, but remain unclear in mammanlian oocytes. This study was investigated to find the presence of SACs in hamster oocytes and to examine their electrophysiological properties. To infer a role of SAC in relation to the development of early stage, we followed up to the stage of two-cell zygote with patch clamp techniques. Single channels were elicited by negative pressure (lower than ­15 cm$H_2O$). Interestingly, SACs were dependent on permeable cations such as $Na^+$ or $K^+$. As permeable cation removed from both sides across the membrane, SAC activity completely disappeared. When permeable cations present only in intracellular compartment, outward currents appeared at positive potentials. In contrast to this, inward currents occurred only at the negative voltage when permeable cation absent in cell interior. These result suggests that SAC carry cations through the nonselective cation channel (NSC channel). Taken together, we found that stretch activated channels present in hamster oocyte and the channel may carry cations through NSC channels. This stretch activated-NSC channels may play physiological role(s) in oocyte growth, maturation, fertilization and embryogenesis in fertilized oocytes to two-cell zygotes of hamster.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.712-718
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• 2022

Diploic arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) or intraosseous dural AVFs are rare arteriovenous shunts. A diploic AVF is formed between a meningeal artery and an intraosseous diploic vein or the transosseous emissary vein, and the nidus is located exclusively within the bone. Currently, endovascular embolization with a transvenous approach is considered the treatment of choice for most dural AVFs. However, in the absence of an accessible venous channel, an alternate treatment approach should be considered. Herein, we report a case of a diploic AVF that was treated using embolization with transosseous direct cannulation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.690-692
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• 1999

internal thoracic artery is used in myocardial revascularization because of many advantages. However, it may not be appropriate in the usual extrapleural or intrapleural route, because it can be easily displaced and injured due to the slender and weak characteristics. We introduce here, a simple technique of repositioning the skeletonized left internal thoracic artery in a stable and straight course by creating a tunnel between the left lateral pericardium and thymic tissue.