• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.106-118
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• 1983

The main purpose of this study is to systematically classify words indicating pain in terms of their ranks in each subclass. This study is a part of developing a Korean Pain Measurement Tool. This study didnot include exploration of each word's dimension such as sensory or affective. Eighty three Korean words tentatively classified in 19 subclasses in previous study were used for this study. At least three to six words were included in each subclass and the words were randomly placed in which each subject indicates their rank of pain degree. One hundred and fifty nursing students and one hundred clinical nurses were requested to indicate the rank of each word. One hundred and sixteen students and eighty three nurses completed the ratings for analysis. The data were collected from June 1983 to July 1983. The data using ordinal scale were analyzed by Friedman ANOVA to test significant difference between rank means. All of pain words indicated significant rank mean difference in all of 19 subclasses. Some of the words were either cancelled or replaced by other words, or rearranged for their ranks. Subclasses of which words were cancelled were 1) Simple stimulating pain, 2) Punctuate pressure, 3) peripheral nerve pain, 4) radiation pain, 5) punishment-related pain, and 6) suffering-related pain. Subclasses of which words were replaced or rearranged were 1) incisive pressure, 2) constrictive pressure, 3) dull pain, 4) tract pain, 5) digestion-related pain and 6) fear-related pain. Four subclasses such as traction pressure, thermal, cavity pressure, and fatigue- elated pain indicated significant differences among rank means in each subclasses and showed no visible overlaps of the ranks among means. Further research is needed using high level measurement of pain degree of each word and more sophisticated analysis of the pain degrees. Three pain words which would be related to chemical stimulation were newly explored and included as a new subclass. Through this study, the total number of subclasses increases from 19 to 20 and the total number of Korean words in the scale decreases from 83 to 80.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2015

The activation of glial cells in the spinal cord has been contribute to the initiation and maintenance of pain facilitation induced by peripheral inflammation and nerve injury. The present study investigated effects of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A), injected subcutaneously or intracisternally, on the expression of microglia and astrocytes in rats. Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation was employed as an orofacial chronic inflammatory pain model. A subcutaneous injection of $40{\mu}L$ CFA into the vibrissa pad was performed under 3% isoflurane anesthesia in SD rats. Immunohistochemical analysis for changes in Iba1 (a microglia marker) and GFAP (an astrocyte marker), were performed 5 days after CFA injection. Subcutaneous injection of CFA produced increases in Iba1 and GFAP expression, in the ipsilateral superficial lamia I and II in the medullary dorsal horn of rats. Subcutaneous treatment with BoNT-A attenuated the up-regulation of Iba1 and GFAP expressions induced by CFA injection. Moreover, intracisternal injection of BoNT-A also attenuated the up-regulated Iba1 and GFAP expressions. These results suggest that the anti-nociceptive action of BoNT-A is mediated by modulation activation of glial cells, including microglia and astrocyte.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.102-107
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• 2005

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. It is disorder in which the body's immune system, attacks parts of the peripheral nervous system. It is characterized by the rapid onset of weakness, paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles and face. But the analysis of CSF and electrical tests on nerve and muscle function can be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Most cases occur shortly after a viral infection. This is a clinical ease report on Cuillain-Barre Syndrome with diplopia. The patient, a 52-year-old man had a weakness in both legs and diplopia. His weakness and diplopia improved after oriental medical treatment, so this is reported as a potential treatment. Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effects on oriental medicine therapy on Guillain-Barre Syndrome with diplopia. Methods & Result: The Clinical data was analyzed on a patient with Cuillain-Barre Syndrome whose main symptoms were diplopia. The patient was treated by acupuncture and oriental medicine. As a result, symptoms was improved remarkably. Conclusion: The patient showed weakness and diplopia. After acupuncture and oriental medicine treatment, weakness and diplopia was improved in 4weeks after visit to clinic. The study suggests that oriental medicine treatment is effective on Cuillain-Barre Syndrome.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.709-713
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• 2007

Basement membranes (BMs) are extracellular matrices associated with epithelia, endothelia, muscle, fat and peripheral nerve. They are involved in cell survival, migration, differentiation. BMs functions also include tissue formation and provide mechanical stability as a selective barriers. Laminins are heterotrimeric glycoproteins found in BMs and have a crucial role in cell adhesion and signalling. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells are the best established mammalian model for studying epithelial cell biology The cells form an epithelial monolayer, with tight junctions separating an apical surface from a basolateral membrane facing the filter support and neighboring cells. In this study, using MDCK cells, the synthesis of the BM protein such as laminin with or without methanol extract of Chrysanthemum morifolium (CM) stimulation was analyzed by immunoblotting and CM showed significant increased cell density and enhanced synthesis of laminin.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.149-157
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• 2018

Diabetes is known to be one of common causes for several types of peripheral nerve damage. Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a significant complication lowering the quality of life that can be frequently found in diabetes patients. In this study, the metabolomic characteristic of DN and Diabetes was investigated with NMR spectroscopy. The sera samples were collected from DN patients, Diabetes patients, and healthy volunteers. Based on the pair-wise comparison, three metabolites were found to be noticeable: glucose, obviously, was upregulated both in DN patients (DNP) and Diabetes. Citrate is also increased in both diseases. However, the dietary nutrient and biosynthesized metabolite from glucose, ascorbate, was elevated only in DNP, compared to healthy control. The multivariate model of OPLS-DA clearly showed the group separation between healthy control-DNP and healthy control-Diabetes. The most significant metabolites that contributed the group separation included glucose, citrate, ascorbate, and lactate. Lactate did not show the statistical significance of change in t-test while it tends to down-regulated both in DNP and Diabetes. We also conducted the ROC curve analysis to make a multivariate model for discrimination of healthy control and diseases with the identified three metabolites. As a result, the discrimination model between healthy control and DNP (or Diabetes) was successful while the model between DNP and Diabetes was not satisfactory for discrimination. In addition, multiple combinations of lactate and citrate in the OPLS-DA model of healthy control and diabetes group (DNP + Diabetes patients) gave good ROC value of 0.952, which imply these two metabolites could be used for diagnosis of Diabetes without glucose information.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.585-591
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• 2021

Objective : Filum transection is one of the most commonly performed operative procedure in pediatric neurosurgery. However, the clinical and pathological features as well as the surgical indication are not well-established. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of patients who underwent transection of the filum during the last 10 years in a single institute. Methods : A total of 82 patients underwent transection of the filum during the period. As a general rule, we performed the transection in patients who are symptomatic or have abnormality in the urologic or neuromuscular evaluations. There were exceptions as asymptomatic patients who only fit the definition of thickened filum (width greater than 2.0 mm or conus level below L3 vertebral body) were operated by parent's wish or surgeon's preference according to radiological findings, etc. Results : Seventy-six out of 82 patients had fibrous tissue in the pathologic specimen of filum. Interestingly, patients who had glial cells were more correlated with no preoperative syrinx, and no progression of syrinx even for those who did have syrinx initially. Also, larger percentage of symptomatic patients had peripheral nerve twigs than asymptomatic patients. No difference in conus level or thickness of filum was found between patients with or without preoperative syrinx. Significantly more patients with syrinx (56%) were chosen to be operated without any symptom or abnormality in study i.e., solely based on radiological findings than those without syrinx (21%). The surgical outcome for syrinx was favorable, as all but one patient had either improved or static syrinx. The exceptional case had increase in size due to the upward displacement of the proximal end of the cut filum. Conclusion : This study evaluated the pathological, clinical, radiological features of patients who underwent transection of the filum. Interesting correlations between pathological findings and clinical features were found. Excellent outcome regarding preoperative syrinx was also shown.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.311-316
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• 2021

Ethanol often causes critical health problems by altering the neuronal activities of the central and peripheral nerve systems. One of the cellular targets of ethanol is the plasma membrane proteins including ion channels and receptors. Recently, we reported that ethanol elevates membrane excitability in sympathetic neurons by inhibiting Kv7.2/7.3 channels in a cell type-specific manner. Even though our studies revealed that the inhibitory effects of ethanol on the Kv7.2/7.3 channel was diminished by the increase of plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P₂), the molecular mechanism of ethanol on Kv7.2/7.3 channel inhibition remains unclear. By investigating the kinetics of Kv7.2/7.3 current in high K⁺ solution, we found that ethanol inhibited Kv7.2/7.3 channels through a mechanism distinct from that of tetraethylammonium (TEA) which enters into the pore and blocks the gate of the channels. Using a non-stationary noise analysis (NSNA), we demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of ethanol is the result of reduction of open probability (P_O) of the Kv7.2/7.3 channel, but not of a single channel current (i) or channel number (N). Finally, ethanol selectively facilitated the kinetics of Kv7.2 current suppression by voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP)-induced PI(4,5)P₂ depletion, while it slowed down Kv7.2 current recovery from the VSP-induced inhibition. Together our results suggest that ethanol regulates neuronal activity through the reduction of open probability and PI(4,5)P₂ sensitivity of Kv7.2/7.3 channels.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.178-182
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• 2024

A 10-year-old spayed female Poodle was referred for blindness. On ophthalmic examination, loss of bilateral ocular pupil light reflex, visual loss, and right retinal detachment were confirmed at a local hospital. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was performed to identify the optic nerve, optic chiasm, and brain disease. A sessile mass centered on the region of the optic chiasm was identified. The mass had iso- to hypointense on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T2-weighted images and mildly hypointense on T1-weighted images compared to the gray matter, with strong contrast enhancement. Peripheral edema was also identified. Computed tomography (CT) brain perfusion was performed to obtain additional hemodynamic information about the patient using a multislice CT. CT perfusion showed that the cerebral blood volume in the left temporal lobe region (13.4 ± 1.6 mL/100 g) was decreased relative to the contralateral region (19.9 ± 0.3 mL/100 g). The patient showed decreased appetite and consciousness one week after the CT scan with clinical symptoms worsened. The patient had seizure, tetraparesis, and loss of consciousness. It was euthanized one month later at the request of the owner. This report suggests that CT brain perfusion can provide additional hemodynamic information such as insufficient brain perfusion in sellar region tumor which can help assess potential complications and prognosis and plan treatment.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.197-205
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the treatment pattern of patients with neuropathic pain (NeP) in Korea through computerized database of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRAS) over three years' period from 2003 to 2005. The results showed that the numbers of treatment visits were the highest for diabetic neuropathy (DN), followed by postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in order. Top 3 specialties for treatment visits due to NeP conditions were neurology, neurosurgery and anesthesiology. While cost of a treatment visit was higher in anesthesiology and emergency clinics compared to other clinics, there was a tendency to increase costs for visits to clinics of rehabilitation medicine and family medicine over the three years. Cost of dental visits was relatively high for TN, atypical facial pain (AFP) and atypical odontalgia (AO). Surgeries frequently applied to patients with NeP were sympathetic plexus or ganglion block, block of peripheral branch of spinal nerve and cranial nerve or its peripheral branch block. Most common prescribed medication were anticonvulsants, anti-inflammatory analgesics and anti-psychotic drugs while anti-inflammatory analgesics were overwhelmingly frequently prescribed for AO and glossodynia. Based on the results of this study, NeP disorders more relevant to dentists were AO, TN and AFP, TN of which seems to be the most important in terms of patients' number and cost for treatment visits. This indicates that dentists, especially oral medicine specialists should actively participate in management of TN, AO and AFP and share relevant information with patients and community.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.181-194
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• 1990

Antidromically activated spinoreticular tract (SRT) cell units in the lumbosacral enlargement of ${\alpha}-chloralose$ anesthetized cats were classified as medial and lateral SRT units according to the location of their axonal termination. Identified SRT units were tested fer antidromic conduction velocity, laterality of their axonal projection, the location in spinal gray, peripheral receptive field, the response pattern to graded mechanichal stimulation and the responsiveness to $A{\delta}$ and C volley of the peripheral nerve. 1) The 59% of 34 medial SRT units were recorded in ipsilateral side to the antidromic stimulation site, but 60% of the 47 lateral SRT units projected to contralateral side. 2) Most of the medial SRT cells and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM)-projecting lateral SRT cells were recorded in lamina VII & VIII. The LRN (lateral reticular nucleus)-projecting SRT cells, however, distributed through all the laminae except superficial ones (I & II). 3) The identified SRT units were classified as low theshold (LT), deep, high threshold (HT), wide dynamic range (WDR) cells, based on the response patterns to graded mechanical stimuli. The proportion of SRT units which receive noxious input was 37.5%, 25% and 75% in the medial, LRN-projecting and RVLM SRT group, respectively. 4) There was no significant difference in the mean conduction velocities between the 3 groups. But the deep cells had significantly higher velocity than that of the HT cells. The above results show that the peripheral inputs to the SRT units are different in the 3 groups: medial, LRN & RVLM SRT group. Especially in case of the SRT cells projecting to RVLM which is a probable candidate fur the integration center of various pressor reflexes such as somatosympathetic reflex, the noxious informations occupy higher proportion of input to them than in other groups. Therefore the noxious information transmitted through the lateral SRT destined for RVLM is expected to play a role in somatosymapthetic reflex.