• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.95-101
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• 2014

Cardiovascular disease is the prime cause of morbidity and mortality and the population ages that may contribute to increase in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Arginase upregulation is associated with impaired endothelial function in aged vascular system and thus may contribute to cardiovascular disease. According to recent research, Korean Red Ginseng water extract (KRGE) may reduce cardiovascular disease risk by improving vascular system health. The purpose of this study was to examine mechanisms contributing to age-related vascular endothelial dysfunction and to determine whether KRGE improves these functions in aged mice. Young ($10{\pm}3$ weeks) and aged ($55{\pm}5$ weeks) male mice (C57BL/6J) were orally administered 0, 10, or 20 mg/mouse/day of KRGE for 4 weeks. Animals were sacrificed and the aortas were removed. Endothelial arginase activity, nitric oxide (NO) generation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) coupling, vascular tension, and plasma peroxynitrite production were measured. KRGE attenuated arginase activity, restored nitric oxide (NO) generation, reduced ROS production, and enhanced eNOS coupling in aged mice. KRGE also improved vascular tension in aged vessels, as indicated by increased acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation and improved phenylephrine-stimulated vasoconstriction. Furthermore, KRGE prevented plasma peroxynitrite formation in aged mice, indicating reduced lipid peroxidation. These results suggest KRGE exerts vasoprotective effects by inhibiting arginase activity and augmenting NO signaling and may be a useful treatment for age-dependent vascular diseases.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제42권5호
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• pp.727-737
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of Korean medicine on an elderly patient with posterior circulation cerebral infarction, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and early neurological deterioration (END). Methods: The patient, who already had CKD, was treated with Korean medicine, comprising herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxa, and cupping combined with Western medicine (antiplatelet, diabetes) and physical therapy. A manual muscle test (MMT) and a modified Barthel index (MBI) were used to observe the treatment effects, and blood tests were performed to check estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), which represent renal function. Results: After the treatment, MMT, MBI, and renal function scores had increased. Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean medicine can effectively treat posterior circulation cerebral infarction with END in CKD, but further studies should be conducted.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.277-284
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• 2023

Objective: This study investigated the effects of Guibiondam-tang-gamibang on patients in the thyrotoxic phase of painless thyroiditis. Methods: A patient in the thyrotoxic phase of painless thyroiditis was treated with Guibiondam-tang-gamibang combined with Western medicine (i.e., beta blockers). The effect of treatment was evaluated according to the pulse rate, NRS, the frequency of subjective symptoms, and sleep time. In addition, the thyroid function was evaluated with TSH, Free T4, and T3 using blood tests. Results: After treatment, the pulse rate decreased, and the NRS and frequency of subjective symptoms disappeared after improvement. Sleep time increased. In the thyroid function test, a significant normalization of each value was observed. Conclusion: This study suggests that Guibiondam-tang-gamibang can be effectively treated in patients with painless thyroiditis in the thyrotoxic phase. However, further studies should be conducted.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.110-115
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• 2012

Background: Pneumonectomy remains the ultimate curative treatment modality for destroyed lung caused by tuberculosis despite multiple risks involved in the procedure. We retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent pneumonectomy for treatment of sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis to determine the risk factors of early and long-term outcomes. Materials and Methods: Between January 1980 and December 2008, pneumonectomy or pleuropneumonectomy was performed in 73 consecutive patients with destroyed lung caused by tuberculosis. There were 48 patients with empyema (12 with bronchopleural fistula [BPF]), 11 with aspergilloma and 7 with multidrug resistant tuberculosis. Results: There were 5 operative mortalities (6.8%). One patient had intraoperative uncontrolled arrhythmia, one had a postoperative cardiac arrest, and three had postoperative respiratory failure. A total of 29 patients (39.7%) suffered from postoperative complications. Twelve patients (16.7%) were found to have postpneumonectomy empyema (PPE), 4 patients had wound infections (5.6%), and 7 patients required re-exploration due to postoperative bleeding (9.7%). The prevalence of PPE increased in patients with preoperative empyema (p=0.019). There were five patients with postoperative BPF, four of which occurred in right-side operation. The only risk factor for BPF was the right-side operation (p=0.023). The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 88.9% and 76.2%, respectively. The risk factors for late deaths were old age (${\geq}50$ years, p=0.02) and low predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (< 1.2 L, p=0.02). Conclusion: Although PPE increases in patients with preoperative empyema and postoperative BPF increases in right-side operation, the mortality rates and long-term survival rates were found to be satisfactory. However, the follow-up care for patients with low predicted postoperative FEV1 should continue for prevention and early detection of pulmonary complication related to impaired pulmonary function.

• 수면정신생리
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.129-139
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• 1997

수면 무호흡을 포함한 다양한 원인의 수면과 관련된 호흡장애를 동반한 환자들에서는 여러가지 심혈관계 기능부전이 초래되어 이들 환자의 임상경과에 중대한 영향을 미친다. 수면 무호흡증후군, 특히 폐쇄성 수면 무호흡증후군은 수면장애의 여러 가지 원인 중 임상영역에서 가장 흔히 볼수 있는 질환으로 전신성 고혈압, 심부정맥, 폐동맥 고혈압 및 우심실 부전, 협심증 및 심근경색증, 뇌졸증등의 발병률이 정상인에 비하여 현저히 높은 것으로 알려져 있다. 폐쇄성 수면 무호흡과 달리 중추성 수면 무호흡은 수면중에 호흡중추를 불안정하게 하는 다양한 원인에 의해 발생하며 역시 심혈관계의 기능에 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 수면중에 환기장애가 더욱 악화될 수 있는 호흡기계 질환이 있는 환자들은 수면 무호흡증후군과 달리 만성적인 저산소증과 고탄산증이 동반되며 이로 인해 심부정맥, 폐동맥 고혈압, 우심실 부전(폐성심) 등의 심혈관계 이상이 초래될 수 있다. 따라서 수면 무호흡을 포함한 수면과 관련된 호홉 장애의 진단과 치료에 있어서는 호흡기계 질환에 대한 정확한 평가와 더불어 동반될 수 있는 심혈관계의 기능부전에 대한 정밀한 분석이 반드시 필요하며, 이들 자료를 바탕으로 기관절개술, 기계적 호흡, 지속적 양압공급치료, 적절한 산소요법 등의 적극적이고도 효과적인 치료법을 적용함으로서 심혈관계 합병증의 발생과 이로 인한 사망률을 감소시킬 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.114-124
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• 2019

Purpose: We investigate biases in the assessments of left ventricular function (LVF), by compressed sensing (CS)-cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: Cardiovascular cine images with short axis view, were obtained for 8 volunteers without CS. LVFs were assessed with subsampled data, with compression factors (CF) of 2, 3, 4, and 8. A semi-automatic segmentation program was used, for the assessment. The assessments by 3 CS methods (ITSC, FOCUSS, and view sharing (VS)), were compared to those without CS. Bland-Altman analysis and paired t-test were used, for comparison. In addition, real-time CS-cine imaging was also performed, with CF of 2, 3, 4, and 8 for the same volunteers. Assessments of LVF were similarly made, for CS data. A fixed compensation technique is suggested, to reduce the bias. Results: The assessment of LVF by CS-cine, includes bias and random noise. Bias appeared much larger than random noise. Median of end-diastolic volume (EDV) with CS-cine (ITSC or FOCUSS) appeared -1.4% to -7.1% smaller, compared to that of standard cine, depending on CF from (2 to 8). End-systolic volume (ESV) appeared +1.6% to +14.3% larger, stroke volume (SV), -2.4% to -16.4% smaller, and ejection fraction (EF), -1.1% to -9.2% smaller, with P < 0.05. Bias was reduced from -5.6% to -1.8% for EF, by compensation applied to real-time CS-cine (CF = 8). Conclusion: Loss of temporal resolution by adopting missing data from nearby cardiac frames, causes an underestimation for EDV, and an overestimation for ESV, resulting in underestimations for SV and EF. The bias is not random. Thus it should be removed or reduced for better diagnosis. A fixed compensation is suggested, to reduce bias in the assessment of LVF.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.270-274
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• 2014

Lymphatic vessels are essential to regulate interstitial fluid homeostasis and diverse immune responses. A number of crucial factors, such as VEGFC, SOX18, PROX1, FOX2C, and GJC2, have been implicated in differentiation and/or maintenance of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). In humans, dysregulation of these genes is known to cause lymphedema, a debilitating condition which adversely impacts the quality of life of affected individuals. However, there are no currently available pharmacological treatments for lymphedema, necessitating identification of additional factors modulating lymphatic development and function which can be targeted for therapy. In this report, we investigate the function of genes associated with Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling in lymphatic development using zebrafish embryos. The knock-down of BMP type II receptors, Bmpr2a and Bmpr2b, and type I receptors, Alk3 and Alk3b, as well as SMAD5, an essential cellular mediator of BMP signaling, led to distinct lymphatic defects in developing zebrafish. Therefore, it appears that each constituent of the BMP signaling pathway may have a unique function during lymphatic development. Taken together, our data demonstrate that BMP signaling is essential for normal lymphatic vessel development in zebrafish.

• 혜화의학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.109-117
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• 2016

"Regulatory Function of Lung(肺主治節)" is one of the major function of lung, but its meaning is still controversial. The word "治節(Regulatory Function)" was first discovered in "黃帝內經(Huangdineijing)". In Chinese medicine text of modern China, physiological meaning of "治節" can be roughly divided into two; one is respiratory function, and another is to help cardiovascular function of the heart. In addition to this, "治節" has been construed in various ways, but all of them is not realistic. There has been several viewpoints that '節' in '治節' means 24 seasonal divisions and they can be representatively found in "東醫寶鑑(Donguibogam)". Based on all of these views, modern western medical physiology is requirement for further study about physiology of internal organs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.141-147
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• 2012

Background: Although the aortic valve-sparing procedure has gained popularity in recent years, it still remains challenging in patients with advanced aortic regurgitation (AR). We compared the long-term outcomes of the aortic valve-sparing procedure with the Bentall operation in patients with advanced aortic regurgitation secondary to aortic root dilatation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 120 patients who underwent surgery for aortic root dilatation with moderate to severe AR between January 1999 and June 2009 was performed. Forty-eight patients underwent valve-sparing procedures (valve-sparing group), and 72 patients underwent the Bentall procedure (Bentall group). The two groups' overall survival, valve-related complications, and aortic valve function were compared. Results: The mean follow-up duration was $4.9{\pm}3.1$ years. After adjustment, the valve-sparing group had similar risks of death (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; p=0.45), and valve related complications (HR, 1.27; p=0.66). However, a significant number of patients developed moderate to severe AR in the valve-sparing group at a mean of $4.4{\pm}2.5$ years of echocardiographic follow-up (p<0.001). Conclusion: Both the Bentall operation and aortic valve-sparing procedure showed comparable long-term clinical results in patients with advanced aortic regurgitation with aortic root dilatation. However, recurrent advanced aortic regurgitation was more frequently observed following valve-sparing procedures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.63-66
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• 2010

심실중격결손증 중 심첨부 근육형은 드문 심기형이다. 특히 소아에서는 시야확보가 어려워 심방실을 통한 접근은 치료가 힘들다. 좌심실을 통한 치료는 장기적으로 좌심실 기능부전을 가져온다. 혈관 중재술을 통한 치료는 아직 만족스런 결과를 얻기 힘들며 어린 소아에서는 가능하지도 않다. 심첨부 근육형 심실중격결손증의 수술 시 우심첨부 절개술이 시야확보가 용이하며 심실기능에 손상을 주지 않고 안전하고 성공적인 교정술이 가능하였음을 보고한다.