• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2021

Purpose: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Brain atrophy in this disease spectrum begins in the medial temporal lobe structure, which can be recognized by magnetic resonance imaging. To overcome the unsatisfactory inter-observer reliability of visual evaluation, quantitative brain volumetry has been developed and widely investigated for the diagnosis of MCI and AD. The aim of this study was to assess the prediction accuracy of quantitative brain volumetry using a fully automated segmentation software package, NeuroQuant^®, for the diagnosis of MCI. Materials and Methods: A total of 418 subjects from the Korean Brain Aging Study for Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease cohort were included in our study. Each participant was allocated to either a cognitively normal old group (n = 285) or an MCI group (n = 133). Brain volumetric data were obtained from T1-weighted images using the NeuroQuant software package. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to investigate relevant brain regions and their prediction accuracies. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that normative percentiles of the hippocampus (P < 0.001), amygdala (P = 0.003), frontal lobe (P = 0.049), medial parietal lobe (P = 0.023), and third ventricle (P = 0.012) were independent predictive factors for MCI. In ROC analysis, normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala showed fair accuracies in the diagnosis of MCI (area under the curve: 0.739 and 0.727, respectively). Conclusion: Normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala provided by the fully automated segmentation software could be used for screening MCI with a reasonable post-processing time. This information might help us interpret structural MRI in patients with cognitive impairment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1052-1065
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• 2020

Objectives: To evaluate the reliability of a pattern identification tool for benign prostatic hyperplasia and to examine the relationship between pattern identification tool readings and IPSS and uroflowmetry. Methods: We analyzed 56 patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia from December 27th, 2017 to December 26th, 2018 by two different Korean medical doctors and followed with a pattern identification tool and by IPSS and uroflowmetry. One week later, the patients were retested to analyze the reliability of the pattern identification tool, determined with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) using the test-retest method. The correlation between IPSS and uroflowmetry was analyzed with the Pearson coefficient. Result: The reliability of the pattern identification tool for benign prostatic hyperplasia was evaluated as "poor agreement beyond chance" (ICC=0.349). The reliability of each pattern identification score was evaluated as "good" for Yang Deficiency of Kidney, Yin Deficiency of Kidney, Deficiency of Middle Qi, and Dampness-heat of Lower Energizer. The internal consistency was evaluated as "good" for Yang Deficiency of Kidney, Yin Deficiency of Kidney, and Dampness-heat of Lower Energizer, and as "excellent" for Deficiency of Middle Qi. The correlation between pattern identification and IPSS was evaluated as a "moderate positive correlation" for all pattern identifications. The average flow rate and maximum flow rate using uroflowmetry was evaluated with "moderate negative correlation" for Yang Deficiency of Kidney and Dampness-heat of Lower Energizer. Conclusion: The reliability of a pattern identification tool for benign prostatic hyperplasia was evaluated as "poor agreement beyond chance." Further research is needed.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.107-124
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• 2022

Objectives This study aimed to identify optimal combinations of acupoints used to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods We searched four international databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Databases [AMED], and China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) and five Korean databases (DBpia, Research Information Sharing Service [RISS], Korean Studies Information Service System [KISS], Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS], and KoreaMed) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used acupuncture to treat CIPN. Network analysis was performed on the acupoints used in more than three included articles. We constructed a network by calculating the Jaccard similarity coefficient between acupoints and applied minimum spanning tree. Then, modularity analysis, degree centrality (Cd), and betweenness centrality (Cb) were used to analyze properties of the acupoints. Results A total of 25 articles were included. 24 acupoints were extracted from 25 articles. The combinations of acupoints having the highest Jaccard similarity coefficient were {EX-UE9, EX-LE10} and {ST36, SP6}. In the modularity analysis, acupoints were classified to six modules. ST40, EX-UE11, and KI6 had the highest Cd value while ST40, GB34 had the highest Cb value. Conclusions This study found the systematic framework of acupoint combinations used in CIPN studies. This study is expected to provide new perspectives of CIPN treatment to therapists. A RCT is in progress of using the network of this study as a guideline. If significant results are derived from the RCT, it will be possible to lay the groundwork to consider acupuncture for CIPN treatment.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.21-27
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• 2022

Objectives : Single oral dose toxicity test of Lythri Herba water extracts (LHWE) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat was performed to determine approximate lethal dose (ALD) of LHWE. Methods : This test was progressed according to OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals : acute oral toxicity. After adaptation of 7 days, SD rats were divided into 2 groups : vehicle control and 5000 mg/kg LHWE-treated group. Each group consisted of 5 female rats and 5 male rats. Vehicle or 5000 mg/kg LHWE was orally administrated once a day. Survival rates, general toxicity, and changes of body weight were investigated for 14 days after administration. On the last day of examination, the weight of all animals was measured and an autopsy was performed. All internal organ abnormalities were checked macroscopically and their findings were recorded. Results : In both groups, dead animals were not observed. During 14 days of administration, abnormal clinical signs were not detected. There was also no significant difference in weight gains between each group. Autopsy analysis showed that one case of the LHWE-treated female group had retention of clear fluid in the uterus; however, it was not considered to be affected by LHWE administration. Moreover, abnormal findings were not discovered in the control male group and the LHWE-treated male group. Conclusions : These results suggest that the ALD of LHWE exceed 5000 mg/kg and single oral administration of LHWE below 5000 mg/kg is nontoxic.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.71-78
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• 2018

Objectives : This study was fulfilled to investigate nominee materials as anti-inflammatory agent from ethanol extract of Chinese medicinal plants in Yanjin. Among the 20 candidates, we selected most effective one, the ethanol extract of Cicuta virosa L. (CVL). The mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of CVL is not clearly identified as yet. Accordingly, we clarified the anti-inflammatory effects of CVL and its underlying molecular mechanisms in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods : RAW264.7 macrophages were incubated with CVL (12.5, 25, or $50{\mu}M$) and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) ($1{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). Cytotoxicity was determined using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay and the level of nitric oxide (NO) production was measured with Griess reagent. The prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) production was measured with enzyme immunoassay kits and the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was determined using Western blot analysis. Results : Among the 20 ethanol extract of Chinese medicinal plants of Yanjin tested, CVL significantly reduced the production of NO in a dose-dependent manner via inhibition the protein expressions of iNOS without cytotoxicity on the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. In addition, CVL also effectively declined the production of $PGE_2$ in LPS-simulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Conclusions : Taken together, these data presented in this study demonstrate that CVL possesses anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators NO and $PGE_2$, and pro-inflammatory protein iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.87-105
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analysis the Clinical Study Trends on Korean Medicine Treatment for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Methods: The key words such as 'polycystic ovary syndrome', 'polycystic ovarian syndrome', 'korean medicine', 'herbal medicine', 'acupuncture' are used for the research through 'OASIS', 'KCI', 'KISS', 'RISS'. Results: Ten clinical studies with 73 patients were selected. All studies were the noncomparative studies, and 8 case reports, 1 case series, 1 retrospective chart review. Symptoms accompanied by PCOS were oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea, irregular menstruation, hirsutism, acne, obesity etc. The most used treatment was herbal medicine in all studies with 72 patients (98.6%). The most frequently used acupuncture and moxibustion point was respectively 合谷 (LI4) and 關元 (CV4). The duration of treatment was between 3 months and 10 months, the average 159 days. Outcome measurements were Recovery of menstrual cycle (97.6%), Hormone test (23.8%), Sonogram (61.9%), Indexes of obesity (23.8%). In terms of menstrual recovery, 35 patients (85.4%) have recovered from menstruation in 8 studies with 41 patients. In hormone tests, all 10 patients have decrease of LH/FSH ratio and LH in 3 studies with 10 patients. Through sonogram, Ovulation menstruation was confirmed in all 6 patients. In all 10 patients of 3 studies evaluating weight before and after treatment, weight was reduced. Conclusions: The effect on Korean Medicine treatment for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome had mostly positive results. However, Further large, well-designed clinical trials are needed to establish the foundation of Korean Medicine treatment for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2022

Facial processing of different racial origin has been investigated at various levels including perceptual, emotional, and socio-cultural processing. Particularly, a good deal of studies have been conducted to show "other race effect (ORE)" to indicate that subtle facial information such as identity or emotional expressions are often under-processed in racial out-group members. However, few studies have investigated whether attentional modulation toward racial out-group faces could explain ORE. We investigated whether novelty-driven attentional mechanism is involved in face perception using event-related potential (ERP). Twenty-two Korean (KR) and nine Caucasian-American (AM) participants were presented with emotional faces from the two racial origins while they performed a gender categorization task. KRs showed significantly greater P3 amplitudes to AM than to KR faces indicating that the early attentional processing underlies differential perception of racial out-group faces. Interestingly, P3 was not up-regulated in the AM subjects when they were presented with KR faces, perhaps due to massive habituation to KR faces during everyday social interaction. These results indicate that racial out-group faces are highly salient stimuli which automatically occupy attentional resources, but easily habituated with repeated exposure to the racial-out group.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

Objectives : This study aims to provide information regarding the status and quality of mobile applications (MAs) using self-acupressure by performing a systematic review. Methods : We conducted comprehensive searching on five international databases and two app markets from inception to July 31, 2022 to identify MAs using self-acupressure. We analyzed the characteristics of each MA regarding the name of the MA, registered app markets, target symptoms, developers, the year and country of development, cost, target age, media function, and expertise. We assessed the quality of each MA using Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). Results : We identified a total of 30 MAs using self-acupressure (25 MAs from the app market and 6 MAs from clinical studies, with 1 MA in common). 17 out of 24 MAs from the app market provided self-acupressure regimens for various symptoms and the others provided regimens for specific symptoms such as memory, anxiety, depression, asthma, allergy, low back pain, and headache. 14 developers were reported. 23 MAs were developed after 2013. The largest number of MAs were developed in the United States. The target age group of 12 MAs was above the age of 3, and that of 11 MAs was above the age of 12. 14 MAs provided multimedia functions such as videos. 13 MAs provided information of expertise. From clinical studies, only 3 out of 6 MAs were accessible through the app market. 4 MAs were developed by the researchers of the study. In terms of MARS, the score of MAs from the app market was higher than that of MAs from clinical studies in both objective and subjective evaluation areas. Conclusions : This study summarizes the characteristics of MAs using self-acupressure. More MAs using self-acupressure should be developed and further clinical research for MA on each symptom and disease is warranted for the diversification of MA fields using self-acupressure.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.591-599
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• 2023

Fisetin is a bioactive flavonol molecule and has been shown to have antioxidant potential, but its efficacy has not been fully validated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective efficacy of fisetin on C2C12 murine myoblastjdusts under hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative damage. The results revealed that fisetin significantly weakened H₂O₂-induced cell viability inhibition and DNA damage while blocking reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Fisetin also significantly alleviated cell cycle arrest by H₂O₂ treatment through by reversing the upregulation of p21WAF1/CIP1 expression and the downregulation of cyclin A and B levels. In addition, fisetin significantly blocked apoptosis induced by H₂O₂ through increasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and attenuating mitochondrial damage, which was accompanied by inactivation of caspase-3 and suppression of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Furthermore, fisetin-induced nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of Nrf2 were related to the increased expression and activation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in H₂O₂-stimulated C2C12 myoblasts. However, the protective efficacy of fisetin on H₂O₂-mediated cytotoxicity, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction, were greatly offset when HO-1 activity was artificially inhibited. Therefore, our results indicate that fisetin as an Nrf2 activator effectively abrogated oxidative stress-mediated damage in C2C12 myoblasts.