• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.94-101
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• 2015

tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) are an emerging class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). A growing number of reports have shown that tRFs are not random degradation products but are functional ncRNAs made of specific tRNA cleavage. They play regulatory roles in several biological contexts such as cancer, innate immunity, stress responses, and neurological disorders. In this review, we summarize the biogenesis and functions of tRFs.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2013

Bilateral vocal cord palsy (BVCP) present a challenging condition which result from various etiologies including iatrogenic recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, progressive neurological disorder, intubation, trauma, tumor and idiopathic cause. Careful history taking, laryngoscopic evaluation, laryngeal EMG, and imaging studies are helpful for providing a precise diagnosis and planning appropriate treatment. BVCP causes airway restriction and not vocal dysfunction. In patients with BVFP, treatment is directed at maximizing the airway, while attempting to limit the negative effects of treatment on vocal function. A variety of surgical procedures are available for mangement of BVCP. The most conservative, limited procedure should be selected initially, and then further surgery and more extensive surgery can be tailored to the patient's airway and voice needs. This review will address the etiology, diagnosis, and managements of BVCP.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.59-62
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• 2013

Man-in-the-barrel syndrome (MIBS) is a clinical syndrome of bilateral upper limb weakness with normal lower extremity function. It can be caused by various neurological conditions such as bilateral cerebral hypoperfusion, syringomyelia, motor neuron disease, or cervical myelopathies. We report a patient with MIBS after cervical spinal cord ischemia. It is postulated to be caused by ischemic insults of anterior spinal artery from repeated and prolonged neck extension.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.605-614
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• 2021

Autophagy is an important degradative pathway that eliminates misfolded proteins and damaged organelles from cells. Autophagy is crucial for neuronal homeostasis and function. A lack of or deficiency in autophagy leads to the accumulation of protein aggregates, which are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. Compared with non-neuronal cells, neurons exhibit rapid autophagic flux because damaged organelles or protein aggregates cannot be diluted in post-mitotic cells; because of this, these cells exhibit characteristic features of autophagy, such as compartment-specific autophagy, which depends on polarized structures and rapid autophagy flux. In addition, neurons exhibit compartment-specific autophagy, which depends on polarized structures. Neuronal autophagy may have additional physiological roles other than amino acid recycling. In this review, we focus on the characteristics and regulatory factors of neuronal autophagy. We also describe intracellular selective autophagy in neurons and its association with neurodegenerative diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.441-447
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• 2019

RAS gene mutations are frequently found in one third of human cancers. Affecting approximately 1 in 1,000 newborns, germline and somatic gain-of-function mutations in the components of RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (RAS/MAPK) pathway has been shown to cause developmental disorders, known as RASopathies. Since RAS-MAPK pathway plays essential roles in proliferation, differentiation and migration involving developmental processes, individuals with RASopathies show abnormalities in various organ systems including central nervous system. The frequently seen neurological defects are developmental delay, macrocephaly, seizures, neurocognitive deficits, and structural malformations. Some of the defects stemmed from dysregulation of molecular and cellular processes affecting early neurodevelopmental processes. In this review, we will discuss the implications of RAS-MAPK pathway components in neurodevelopmental processes and pathogenesis of RASopathies.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.63-77
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of task-oriented training with functional electrical stimulation on hand function in incomplete cervical cord injury. Method : The subjects of the study were 3 adults diagnosed as incomplete cervical cord injury. The design of this study was ABA single-subject research design to compare dominant hand function of before and after intervention and detect individual effects. The experiment consisted of 30sessions, in which baseline process A1 and A2 were implemented 5 sessions each for 10sessions. Intervention B was implemented 20 sessions. The dependent variable was converted to the change of hand function every session, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test(JTHFT), Wolf Motor Function Test(WMFT) were selected for outcome measurements. Result analysis was suggested through visual analysis using a graph and comparison of pre, post and follow-up intervention measurements. Results : As a result, the quality and quantity of dominant hand function increased during intervention B compared to the baseline A1 for all subjects. Baseline A2 was also maintained without training. Additionally, JTHFT, WMFT and COPM scores demonstrated improvement and maintain. The follow up JTHFT and WMFT showed increased required time on all subjects and decrease or maintain task performance and satisfaction in COPM. Conclusion : The task-oriented training with function electrical stimulation in this study has been positive effects on hand function and task performance and satisfaction.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-69
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and concurrent validity of the computerized cognitive function test system (called CNFT) for evaluating the cognitive function and to provide its normative data. Methods : For this purpose, 140 normal adults participated in a investigation to provide the normative data of CNFT. 40 normal adults participated in an evaluating experiment to verify the reliability and validity. CNFT consists of attention, memory, sensori-motor coordination, and frontal lobe & higher cognitive function domains. Because CNFT is a computerized evaluation tool, all results and operations are processed consistently and automatically. Results : In the results, as the age of subjects increased, the average accuracy decreased and response time increased. Additionally, memory and frontal lobe & higher cognitive function was lower than other domains. Test-retest reliability of 2 weeks interval was highly correlated (r=.48~.85) and there is no significant difference between test and retest scores. CNFT was highly correlated with computerized neurocognitive function test (r=.67~.79; p<.05). Conclusion : Normative data of CNFT were obtained, and the guidelines for the interpretation were provided. A reliable and valid clinically applicable computerized cognitive function test was developed.

• Journal of the Korean neurological association
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2017

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a noninvasive optical method, utilizes the characteristic absorption spectra of hemoglobin in the near-infrared range to provide information on cerebral hemodynamic changes in various clinical situations. NIRS monitoring have been used mainly to detect reduced perfusion of the brain during orthostatic stress for three common forms of orthostatic intolerance (OI); orthostatic hypotension, neurally mediated syncope, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Autonomic function testing is an important diagnostic test to assess their autonomic nervous systems for patients with symptom of OI. However, these techniques cannot measure dynamic changes in cerebral blood flow. There are many experimentations about study of NIRS to reveal the pathophysiology of patients with OI. Research using NIRS in other neurologic diseases (stroke, epilepsy and migraine) are ongoing. NIRS have been experimentally used in all stages of stroke and may complement the established diagnostic and monitoring tools. NIRS also provide pathophysiological approach during rehabilitation and secondary prevention of stroke. The hemodynamic response to seizure has long been a topic for discussion in association with the neuronal damage resulting from convulsion. One critical issue when unpredictable events are to be detected is how continuous NIRS data are analyzed. Besides, NIRS studies targeting pathophysiological aspects of migraine may contribute to a deeper understanding of mechanisms relating to aura of migraine. NIRS monitoring may play an important role to trend regional hemodynamic distribution of flow in real time and also highlights the pathophysiology and management of not only patients with OI symptoms but also those with various neurologic diseases.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.184-193
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• 2007

Objectives:There is increasing evidence that the cerebellum plays an important role in cognition and psychiatric symptoms as well as motor coordination. The concept of cognitive dysmetria has been making cerebellar function in schizophrenia the focus of current studies. In other words, disruption in the corticocerebellum-thalamic -cortical circuit could lead to disordered cognition and clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. The purposes of this study were to determine cerebellar dysfunction in male schizophrenic patients semiquantitatively with ICARS and to investigate the clinical and cognitive correlates of ICARS in patients. Methods:We compared the scores of cerebellar neurologic sign using ICARS in 47 male patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of schizophrenia with 30 gender and age-matched healthy control subjects. The semiquantitative 100-point ICARS consists of 19 items divided into 4 unequally weighted subscores:posture and gait disturbances, kinetic functions, speech disorders and oculomotor disorders. All subjects were also assessed with cognitive function test. Cognitive functions were evaluated by Korean-Mini Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), Verbal fluency test, and Clock drawing test. The patients were administered Korea version of Positive and Negative Symptom Scale(K-PANSS) to assess the symptom severity. Results:Schizophrenic patients had significantly higher scores on the ICARS than control subjects with posture and gait disturbances, kinetic functions, and oculomotor disorders. They also showed more significant impairments in cognitive function tests than control subjects. There was a significant correlation between ICARS and negative symptoms of patients. In cognitive function test, Clock drawing test was significantly associated with negative symptoms. In addition, Clock drawing test was negatively correlated with the total score of ICARS. Conclusion:In this study, we confirmed that schizophrenic patients have significant impairments in cognitive and cerebellar function, and that those were related with negative symptoms of schizophrenic patients. These results support a role of the cerebellum in schizophrenia. It is meaningful that we used a structured, and reliable procedure for rating neurological soft signs, ICARS. We hope that future prospective studies using a similar design help that rate of neurological sign should have been visible with the progression of illness.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.33-50
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• 2015

Objective : This study was conducted to determine various interventions in accordance with the recovery and cognitive processes in order to improve executive function in stroke patients through a systematic review. Methods : The literature search focused on Level I-IV studies published between January 1996 and April 2015 for 20 years in electronic databases(e.g. MEDLINE, SCOPUS, RISS). The keyword search terms were 'Stroke', 'Executive function', 'Executive function deficit', 'Occupational therapy', 'Rehabilitation', 'Remedial', 'Compensatory' and 'Education'. Result : A total of 13 articles were appraised using the hierarchy of levels of evidence-based practice and 6 Level I evidence articles, 1 Level II articles, 2 Level III articles and 4 Level IV articles. Each intervention improved executive function but was different in degree of generalization. Conclusion : Through this systematic review, we found that there are a variety of applied interventions improving executive function in stroke patients and are different in effect depending on methods of interventions. This study provided evidences to occupational therapists for the clinical practice of interventions to improve executive function in stroke patients.