• Advances in nano research
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.501-514
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of Chikusetsusaponin V (CsV) on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vascular endothelial cell functions. Different concentrations of CsV were added to animal models, bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAECs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured in vitro. qPCR, Western blotting (WB), and B ultrasound were performed to explore the effects of CsV on mouse endothelial cell functions, vascular stiffness and cellular eNOS mRNA, protein expression and NO release. Bioinformatics analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking and protein mass spectrometry analysis were conducted to jointly predict the upstream transcription factors of eNOS. Furthermore, pulldown and ChIP and dual luciferase assays were employed for subsequent verification. At the presence or absence of CsV stimulation, either overexpression or knockdown of purine rich element binding protein A (PURA) was conducted, and PCR assay was employed to detect PURA and eNOS mRNA expressions, Western blot was used to detect PURA and eNOS protein expressions, cell NO release and serum NO levels. Tube formation experiment was conducted to detect the tube forming capability of HUVECs cells. The animal vasodilation function test detected the vasodilation functions. Ultrasonic detection was performed to determine the mouse aortic arch pulse wave velocity to identify aortic stiffness. CsV stimulus on bovine aortic cells revealed that CsV could upregulate eNOS protein levels in vascular endothelial cells in a concentration and time dependent manner. The expression levels of eNOS mRNA and phosphorylation sites Ser1177, Ser633 and Thr495 increased significantly after CsV stimulation. Meanwhile, CsV could also enhance the tube forming capability of HUVECs cells. Following the mice were gavaged using CsV, the eNOS protein level of mouse aortic endothelial cells was upregulated in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and serum NO release and vasodilation ability were simultaneously elevated whereas arterial stiffness was alleviated. The pulldown, ChIP and dual luciferase assays demonstrated that PURA could bind to the eNOS promoter and facilitate the transcription of eNOS. Under the conditions of presence or absence of CsV stimulation, overexpression or knockdown of PURA indicated that the effect of CsV on vascular endothelial function and eNOS was weakened following PURA gene silence, whereas overexpression of PURA gene could enhance the effect of CsV upregulating eNOS expression. CsV could promote NO release from endothelial cells by upregulating the expression of PURA/eNOS pathway, improve endothelial cell functions, enhance vasodilation capability, and alleviate vessel stiffness. The present study plays a role in offering a theoretical basis for the development and application of CsV in vascular function improvement, and it also provides a more comprehensive understanding of the pharmacodynamics of CsV.

• Journal of Advanced Technology Convergence
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to examine the difference in cardiovascular changes between obese people and the general public using a treadmill. This study was conducted by recruiting 32 adult males who had no experience in hospital visits or treatment due to cardiovascular disease. The subjects were divided into an obese group and a general group based on BMI 25 and performed treadmill exercise for 12 minutes. SBP, DBP, HR, MAP, and PP before and after the treadmill were measured to see the difference in cardiovascular system changes. Data analysis was evaluated using an independent t-test. In the case of SBP, MAP, and PP, there were significant differences between groups (P<0.05). For DBP and HR, no significant difference was found between the two groups (P>0.05). The subjects of this study consisted only of healthy adult males in their 20s, and there is a limitation in that it was performed in a short time.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.829-839
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• 2021

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced radial T1-weighted gradient-echo 3-tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) for the detection of visceral pleural surface invasion (VPSI). Visceral pleural invasion by non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be classified into two types: PL1 (without VPSI), invasion of the elastic layer of the visceral pleura without reaching the visceral pleural surface, and PL2 (with VPSI), full invasion of the visceral pleura. Materials and Methods: Thirty-three patients with pathologically confirmed VPSI by NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. Multidetector CT and contrast-enhanced 3T MRI with a free-breathing radial three-dimensional fat-suppressed volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) pulse sequence were compared in terms of the length of contact, angle of mass margin, and arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio. Supplemental evaluation of the tumor-pleura interface (smooth versus irregular) could only be performed with MRI (not discernible on CT). Results: At the tumor-pleura interface, radial VIBE MRI revealed a smooth margin in 20 of 21 patients without VPSI and an irregular margin in 10 of 12 patients with VPSI, yielding an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and F-score for VPSI detection of 91%, 83%, 95%, 91%, 91%, and 87%, respectively. The McNemar test and receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed no significant differences between the diagnostic accuracies of CT and MRI for evaluating the contact length, angle of mass margin, or arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio as predictors of VPSI. Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced radial T1-weighted gradient-echo 3T MRI and CT were equal in terms of the contact length, angle of mass margin, and arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio. The advantage of MRI is its clear depiction of the tumor-pleura interface margin, facilitating VPSI detection.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2014

The aim of the study is to test a hypothesis that quasi-breath-hold (QBH) biofeedback improves the residual respiratory motion management in gated 3D thoracic MR imaging, reducing respiratory motion artifacts with insignificant acquisition time alteration. To test the hypothesis five healthy human subjects underwent two gated MR imaging studies based on a T2 weighted SPACE MR pulse sequence using a respiratory navigator of a 3T Siemens MRI: one under free breathing and the other under QBH biofeedback breathing. The QBH biofeedback system utilized the external marker position on the abdomen obtained with an RPM system (Real-time Position Management, Varian) to audio-visually guide a human subject for 2s breath-hold at 90% exhalation position in each respiratory cycle. The improvement in the upper liver breath-hold motion reproducibility within the gating window using the QBH biofeedback system has been assessed for a group of volunteers. We assessed the residual respiratory motion management within the gating window and respiratory motion artifacts in 3D thoracic MRI both with/without QBH biofeedback. In addition, the RMSE (root mean square error) of abdominal displacement has been investigated. The QBH biofeedback reduced the residual upper liver motion within the gating window during MR acquisitions (~6 minutes) compared to that for free breathing, resulting in the reduction of respiratory motion artifacts in lung and liver of gated 3D thoracic MR images. The abdominal motion reduction in the gated window was consistent with the residual motion reduction of the diaphragm with QBH biofeedback. Consequently, average RMSE (root mean square error) of abdominal displacement obtained from the RPM has been also reduced from 2.0 mm of free breathing to 0.7 mm of QBH biofeedback breathing over the entire cycle (67% reduction, p-value=0.02) and from 1.7 mm of free breathing to 0.7 mm of QBH biofeedback breathing in the gated window (58% reduction, p-value=0.14). The average baseline drift obtained using a linear fit was reduced from 5.5 mm/min with free breathing to 0.6 mm/min (89% reduction, p-value=0.017) with QBH biofeedback. The study demonstrated that the QBH biofeedback improved the upper liver breath-hold motion reproducibility during the gated 3D thoracic MR imaging. This system can provide clinically applicable motion management of the internal anatomy for gated medical imaging as well as gated radiotherapy.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.644-654
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• 2002

Brown color characteristics and antioxidizing activities were investigated for Doenjang under different processing conditions. Doenjang A was prepared directly from Meju and saline solution whereas Doenjang B was Prepared after separating soy sauce by soaking for 45 days. Both Doenjangs were aged for up to 180 days. Antioxidizing activity was studied in relation to the brown color characteristics using fat-soluble extract and water-soluble extract of Doenjang. The intensity of brown color was higher in the water-soluble Doenjang extract than the fat-soluble Doenjang extract. In the UV-VIS scanning spectra, water-soluble Doenjang extracts showed significant changes as the aging proceeded, but fat-soluble Doenjang extract did not. Antioxidizing activity of fat-soluble Doenjang extract increased as the aging period extended; however, no significant difference was detected in the water-soluble extract. Overall, Doenjang A showed higher contents of amino acids, reducing sugar, brown color, and antioxidizing activity, and the antioxidizing ability was higher in water-soluble Doenjang extract rather than in the fat-soluble Doenjang extract.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.427-436
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• 2008

Purpose. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavioral response and assess the effectiveness of additional intranasal (IN) and submucosal (SM) administration of midazolam during pediatric sedation for dental procedure. Material and methods. Thirty-three cases of healthy (ASAⅠ), uncooperative children aged from 24 to 72 month old at pediatric dental clinic of Ewha Womans University Hospital were selected for this study. Children received oral chloral hydrate 50 mg/kg with hydroxyzine 1.0 mg/kg. After waiting for 45 minutes, midazolam 0.2 mg/kg was administrated via IN route and via SM route randomly maintaining 50% of $N_2O$. A pulse oximeter and a capnograph were used for measuring vital signs ($SpO_2$, PR, RR, $EtCO_2$) throughout the sedation. Behavioral response was evaluated as Quiet (Q), Crying (C), Movement (M) or Struggling (S) in every 2 minutes for 40 minutes. Results. There were also no statistically significant differences in vital signs of the two groups. The behavioral response for the first ten minutes during sedation was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between the two groups. After the first ten minutes, it was revealed that there was no significant difference. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that the addition of IN midazolam to the combination of oral chloral hydrate with hydroxyzine and nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation is as safe and effective as that of SM midazolam in pediatric sedation for dental procedure.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.81-96
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• 2002

The purpose of this research was to determine the effects on the healing of fibular fractures in rabbits of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$) applied for periods of 4, 14 and 24 days following fibular osteotomy. Thirty-six male Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups of twelve for three treatment protocols: (1) ultrasound treatment at intensities of 50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$ until the 4th day following fibular osteotomy, (2) ultrasound treatment at intensities of 50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$ until the 14th day following fibular osteotomy, and (3) ultrasound treatment at intensities of 50 $mW/cm^2$ and 500 $mW/cm^2$ until the 24th day following fibular osteotomy. The low-intensity pulsed ultrasound was applied to only one fibula of each rabbit (these served as the experimental group). The other fibula of each rabbit served as the control group. The selection of which fibula was to be treated was made randomly. The animals were sacrificed on the 4th, 14th and 24th day after the start of ultrasound treatments. Percent of trabecular bone area and fibular radiography were carried out to compare the degree of fibular bone healing. A microscope was also used to determine any histologic changes. For statistical differences in radiological changes due to length of treatment period (4, 14 and 24 days respectively), the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used to compare the experimental and control groups. For statistical differences in fracture healing due to differences in ultrasound intensity, radiological studies were compared using the Mann-Whitney Test. And, to compute percentage differences in areas of trabecular bone, Two-way analysis of variance (ultrasound intensity x each group) was used. Experiment results were as follows: 1. In animals sacrificed on the 4th day, no difference was found in the radiological studies of the fibulae in the experimental and control groups (p>.05). However, experimental groups showed more rapid bone repair than control group. 2. Both radiographic and percent of trabecular bone area studies showed significant differences in rabbits sacrificed after 14 days. Fracture healing was significantly increased in the experimental group (p<.05) 3. In the animals sacrificed on the 24th day, histologic study showed rapid bone repair but fibular radiologic studies did not show statistical differences between the two groups (p>.05). 4. On the 14th day, bone union on radiograph was significantly more rapid in the treatment group with pulsed ultrasound of 50 $mW/cm^2$ than the group with 500 $mW/cm^2$ (p<.05). Histologic studies showed that both the 14 and 24 days groups had more rapid bone repair in animals treated with 50 $mW/cm^2$ ultrasound intensity than those treated with 500 $mW/cm^2$ intensity. In conclusion, it has been shown that the low-intensity pulsed ultrasound has a positive effect on bone fracture healing in the early stage and the range of pulse ultrasound from 50 $mW/cm^2$ to 500 $mW/cm^2$ is effective for fracture healing. Further study is needed to investigate the influence of pulsed ultrasound on delayed union and non-union in bone fractures and also for the clinical use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for bone healing in humans.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2011

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder, which is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) that is typically associated with cataplexy, sleep fragmentation and other REM sleep-related phenomenon such as sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucination. Narcoleptic symptoms can be developed from various medical or neurological disorders. A 17-year-old male patient admitted for the evaluation of EDS which started three-month ago. He slept more than 18 hours a day with cataplexy and hypnagogic hallucination. He was obese with body mass index (BMI) of 30.4 kg/$m^2$. After admission he was newly diagnosed to the thyrotoxicosis. T3 391.2 ng/dL (60-181), free T4 4.38 ng/dL (0.89-1.76), TSH <0.01 ${\mu}IU$/mL (0.35-5.5) were measured. His pulse rate ranged 70-90 beats per minute and blood pressure ranged 150/100-120/70 mmHg. Polysomnography revealed many fragmentations in sleep with many positional changes (81 times/h). Sleep onset latency was 33.5 min, sleep efficiency was 47.9%, and REM latency from sleep onset was delayed to 153.6 min. REM sleep percent was increased to 27.1%. Periodic limb movement index was 13.4/h. In the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), average sleep latency was 0.4 min and there were noted 3 SOREMPs (Sleep Onset REM sleep period) on 5 trials. We couldn't discriminate the obvious sleep-wake pattern in the actigraph and his HLA DQB1 $^*0602$ type was negative. His thyroid function improved following treatment with methimazole and propranolol. Vital sign maintained within normal range. Cataplexy was controlled with venlafaxine 75 mg. Subjective night sleep continuity and PLMS were improved with clonazepam 0.5 mg, but the EDS were partially improved with modafinil 200-400 mg. Thyrotoxicosis might give confounding role when we were evaluating the EDS, though sleep fragmentation was one of the major symptoms of narcolepsy, but enormous amount of it made us think of the influence of thyroid hormone. The loss of sleep-wake cycle, limited improvement of EDS to the stimulant treatmen, and the cataplexy not supported by HLA DQB1 $^*0602$ should be answered further. We still should rule out idiopathic hypersomnia and measuring CSF hypocretin level would be helpful.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.557-561
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• 2002

The changes in some chemical and physical properties of fresh or rancid soybean oil by the treatment with sweet potato, potato, burdock, and carrot were investigated. The results of the study were as follows: The specific gravity of the soybean oil increased by heating and decreased by the addition of sweet potato, burdock and carrot into the oil. The chromaticity of soybean oil increased by heating and treatment with above vegetables having antioxidant activity. To investigate the antioxidant effects of above vegetables during heating, anisidine value (AV) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) electron donating ability were measured. The AV of oil decreased by heating with sweet potato in fresh or rancid oil. The DPPH value decreased by heating with sweet potato and carrot, of which the antioxidant activity were similar to that of 0.02 ∼ 0.05 mg of dl-${\alpha}$ -tocopherol.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2014

Background: Various medical emergency situations can occur during dental practices. Cardiac arrest is known to comprise approximately 1% of emergency situation. Thus, it is necessary for dentists to be able to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to increase the chance of saving patient's life in emergency situation. In this paper, we conducted a survey study to evaluate to what extent dentists actually understood CPR practice and if they had experience in handling emergency situations in practice. Method: The survey was done for members of the Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology (KDSA), who had great interest in CPR and for whom survey-by-mail was convenient. We had selected 472 members of the KDSA with a dental license and whose office address and contact information were appropriate, and sent them a survey questionnaire by mail asking about the degree of their CPR understanding and if they had experience of handling emergency questions before. Statistical analyses -frequency analysis, chi-square test, ANOVA, and so on- were performed by use of IBM SPSS Statistics 19 for each question. Result: Among 472 people, 181 responded (38.4% response rate). Among the respondents were 134 male and 47 female dentists. Their average age was $40.4{\pm}8.4$. In terms of practice type, there were 123 private practitioners (68.0%), 20 professors (11.0%), 16 dentists-in-service (8.8%), 13 residents (specialist training) (7.2%) and 9 military doctors (5%). There were 125 dentists (69.1%) who were specialists or receiving training to be specialist, most of whom were oral surgeon (57, 31.5%) and pediatric dentists (56, 30.9%). There were 153 people (85.0%) who received CPR training before, and 65 of them (35.9%) were receiving regular training. When asked about the ratio of chest pressure vs mouth-to-mouth respiration when conducting CPR, 107 people (59.1%) answered 30:2. However, only 27.1% of them answered correctly for a question regarding CPR stages, C(Circulation)- A(Airway)- B(Breathing)- D(Defibrillation), which was defined in revised 2010 CPR practice guideline. Dentists who had experience of handling emergency situations in their practice were 119 (65.6%). The kinds of emergency situations they experienced were syncope (68, 37.6%), allergic reactions to local anesthetic (44, 24.3%), hyperventilation (43, 23.8%), seizure (25, 13.8%), hypoglycemia (15, 8.3%), breathing difficulty (14, 7.8%), cardiac arrest (11, 6.1%), airway obstruction (6, 3.3%), intake of foreign material and angina pectoris (4, 2.2%), in order of frequency. Most respondents answered that they handled the situation appropriately under the given emergency situation. In terms of emergency equipment they had blood pressure device (70.2%), pulse oximetry (69.6%), Bag-Valve-Mask (56.9%), emergency medicine (41.4%), intubation kit (29.8%), automated external defibrillator (23.2%), suction kit (19.3%) and 12 people (6.6%) did not have any equipment. In terms of confidence in handling emergency situation, with 1-10 point scale, their response was $4.86{\pm}2.41$ points. The average point of those who received regular training was $5.92{\pm}2.20$, while those who did not was $4.29{\pm}2.29$ points (P<0.001) Conclusion: The result showed they had good knowledge of CPR but the information they had was not up-to-date. Also, they were frequently exposed to the risk of emergency situation during their dental practice but the level of confidence in handling the emergency situation was intermediate. Therefore, regular training of CPR to prepare them for handling emergency situation is deemed necessary.