• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.488-498
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the influence of trauma experiences and social adjustment on health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors. Methods: The subjects were 117 North Korean defectors living in B and Y city. The data were collected from September 1 to September 20, 2014, and analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: Significant differences were found in the health-related quality of life with respect to the subjects' education, marriage status, types of dwelling, family types, duration of residence in South Korea, jobs in South Korea and in North Korea, families left in North Korea or other surrounding countries, and subjective health status. Health-related quality of life is negatively related to trauma experiences during escape from North Korea and during their life in South Korea. Health-related quality of life positively is related to social adjustment. The meaningful variables which influenced the subjects'health-related quality include social adjustment, job in South Korea, job in North Korea, current family structure, and trauma experiences in South Korea. Total explanatory power of these factors for health-related quality in North Korean Defectors is 43.0% and social adjustment is the most influential factor. Conclusion: Therefore, in order to enhance health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors, it is necessary for them to increase social adjustment and decrease trauma experiences. In addition, methods are needed to provide job opportunities, better education and family services for North Korean defectors.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.217-223
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• 2019

Purpose: Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychostimulant of the methylxanthine class. Among adolescents, high-dose of caffeine consumption has increased rapidly over the last few decades due to the introduction of energy drinks. However, little is known about the time-dependent effect of high doses of caffeine consumption in adolescents. The present study aims to examine the short- and long-term influence of high-dose caffeine on behavior of adolescence. Methods: The animals were divided into three groups: a "vehicle" group, which was injected with 1 ml of phosphate-buffered saline for 14 days; a "Day 1" group, which was injected with caffeine (30 mg/kg), 2 h before the behavioral tests; and a "Day 14" group, which was infused with caffeine for 14 days. An open-field test, a Y-maze test, and a passive avoidance test were conducted to assess the rats'activity levels, anxiety, and cognitive function. Results: High-dose caffeine had similar effects in short-and long-term treatment groups. It increased the level of locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavior, as evidenced by the increase in the number of movements and incidences of rearing and grooming in the caffeine-treated groups. No significant differences were observed between the groups in the Y-maze test. However, in the passive avoidance test, the escape latency in the caffeine-treated group was decreased significantly, indicating impaired memory acquisition. Conclusion: These results indicate that high-dose caffeine in adolescents may increase locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavior and impair learning and memory, irrespective of the duration of administration. The findings will be valuable for both evidence-based education and clinical practice.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.39-48
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• 2022

Objectives : In the present study, we assessed the effects of water extract of Ulmus davidiana(UED) on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine in mice through its favorable acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and antioxidant effect. Methods : The memory and cognitive enhancing effect of the UDE was investigated using a passive avoidance test, the Morris water maze test and Y-maze test in mice. In addition, to examine the mechanism of UDE using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and antioxidant activity. Results : The water extract of UDE (100, and 200 mg/kg) significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in the passive avoidance test (P < 0.05). Moreover, UDE (100, and 200 mg/kg) also improved escape latencies in training trials and increased swimming times and distances within the target zone of the Morris water maze (P < 0.05). On the Y-maze test, UDE (100, and 200 mg/kg) also significantly reversed scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in mice (P < 0.05). In an in vitro study, UDE was found to inhibit acetylcholinesterase, changes in neurotrophic factor (CREB), and antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions : The water extract of UDE dramatically possesses the anti-amnestic and cognitive-enhancing activities related to the memory processes, and these activities were parallel to treatment duration and dependent on the learning models. These results suggest that the administration of UDE enhances learning and memory, and that this effect is partially mediated by ERK-CREB-BDNF signaling and the survival of immature neurons.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2024

To compare and analyze the improvement effects of white ginseng extract, red ginseng extract, and black ginseng extract on cognitive dysfunction and memory impairment caused by scopolamine in rats. In the cognitive behavioral test, the tendency of the SCOP+B group to overcome the escape time delay induced by scopolamine administration was observed, unlike the SCOP group. The frequency on plat form was significantly increased in the group treated with ginseng extracts compared to the SCOP group. As a result of measuring the duration time on goal quadrant, the time spent in the quadrant was significantly increased in the SCOP+B group compared to the SCOP group. In the hippocampus, the SCOP-treated group significantly decreased the activity of AChE compared to the normal group, but the ginseng extract-treated groups significantly increased it compared to the SCOP group. After sacrificing the rats after the behavioral test, the expression of PSD95 protein in the excised brain was significantly decreased in the SCOP group compared to normal, but it was observed that the SCOP+R and SCOP+B groups were significantly increased compared to the SCOP group. CREB1 protein expression was significantly increased in the SCOP+R group, and the expression of Cdk5 was significantly increased in the SCOP+B group. Ginseng extracts significantly restored the memory damaged by scopolamine suggesting that red ginseng increased the expression of CREB1 and PSD95 proteins, and black ginseng increased the protein expression of Cdk5 and PSD95 to induce memory recovery.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.824-831
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• 2009

Purpose : We aimed to investigate the efficacy of and functional recovery after intracerebral transplantation of different doses of mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) in immature rat brain with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods : Postnatal 7-days-old Sprague-Dawley rats, which had undergone unilateral HI operation, were given stereotaxic intracerebral injections of either vehicle or mMSCs and then tested for locomotory activity in the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th week of the stem cell injection. In the 8th week, Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the learning and memory dysfunction for a week. Results : In the open field test, no differences were observed in the total distance/the total duration (F=0.412, P=0.745) among the 4 study groups. In the invisible-platform Morris water maze test, significant differences were observed in escape latency (F=380.319, P<0.01) among the 4 groups. The escape latency in the control group significantly differed from that in the high-dose mMSC and/or sham group on training days 2-5 (Scheffe's test, P<0.05) and became prominent with time progression (F=6.034, P<0.01). In spatial probe trial and visible-platform Morris water maze test, no significant improvement was observed in the rats that had undergone transplantation. Conclusion : Although the rats that received a high dose of mMSCs showed significant recovery in the learning-related behavioral test only, our data support that mMSCs may be used as a valuable source to improve outcome in HIE. Further study is necessary to identify the optimal dose that shows maximal efficacy for HIE treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.979-985
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• 1997

Between October 1991 and May 1995, 256 "New Duromedics Valve"(Edward TEKNA Bileaflet Valve) were implanted in 208 adult patients(171 mitral, 82 aortic and 3 tricuspid) with age ranging from 18 years to 70 years(mean 48.2$\pm$ 11.6 years). Postoperative complication rates were 12.2%, but there was none valve related one. Overall early mortality rate were 1.4%(1.6% for MVR, 2.1% for DVR, and none for AVR or TVR) respectively. Follow-up was 99% completed ranging in duration from 2 months to 46 months. There were 6 valve-related late complications(2.9%) with 2 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, 2 with cerebral thxomtioembolism, 1 with valve thrombosis and 1 with valve endocarditis. Freedom from these valve-related major complications were 89.9% at 40 months. There were 5 late deaths(2.4%). one of these late deaths was considered valve-related. Overall actuarial survival rates at 40 months were 95.5%, 96.8% for mitral, 97.1% for aortic, 100% for tricuspid, and 92.0% for double valve replacement respectively. Preoperative New York Heart Association functional class were 2.9, and 1.3 in post-operative state. We have been trying to keep the international normalized ratio(INR) with range of 2.5 to 3.0. The INR of 4 patients of 5 with anticoagulant ralated complications was beyond the range. To reduce the rate of anticoagulant related complications, we felt very strongly that the INR should be kept between 2.5 and 3.0. In our cases, there was no structural failure or significant hemolysis in the absence of periprosthetic leak. This experience encourages us to continue using the "New Duromedics Valve".omedics Valve".uot;.