• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.254-259
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• 2014

The pentacyclic triterpenoid ursolic acid (UA) and its isomer oleanolic acid (OA) are ubiquitous in food and plant medicine, and thus are easily exposed to the population through natural contact or intentional use. Although they have diverse health benefits, reported cardiovascular protective activity is contentious. In this study, the effect of UA and OA on platelet aggregation was examined on the basis that alteration of platelet activity is a potential process contributing to cardiovascular events. Treatment of UA enhanced platelet aggregation induced by thrombin or ADP, which was concentration-dependent in a range of $5-50{\mu}M$. Quite comparable results were obtained with OA, in which OA-treated platelets also exhibited an exaggerated response to either thrombin or ADP. UA treatment potentiated aggregation of whole blood, while OA failed to increase aggregation by thrombin. UA and OA did not affect plasma coagulation assessed by measuring prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. These results indicate that both UA and OA are capable of making platelets susceptible to aggregatory stimuli, and platelets rather than clotting factors are the primary target of them in proaggregatory activity. These compounds need to be used with caution, especially in the population with a predisposition to cardiovascular events.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1423-1430
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• 2009

Rosmarinic acid frequently found as a secondary metabolite in herbs and medicinal plants, has exhibited antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities. The proliferation and migration of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) in response to activation by various stimuli plays a critical role in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. This study was conducted to examine the effects of Rosmarinic acid on the proliferation and migration of HASMC. Rosmarinic acid suppressed the proliferation of HASMC via induction of the expression of apoptotic proteins including cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and caspase-3. Rosmarinic acid decreased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and increased pro-apoptotic Bax. Moreover, treatment of rosmarinic acid decreased the G1/S cycle regulation proteins (cyclin D1, cyclin E, CDK2, CDK4 and CDK6) and increased p21, p27 and p53. Rosmarinic acid also blocked HASMC migration via suppression of MMP-9 and MMP-2. Taken together, these results indicate that rosmarinic acid has the potential for use as an anti-atherosclerosis agent.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2021

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and it results in a high rate of death worldwide, with an increased prevalence with age despite advances in lifestyle management and drug therapy. Atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive inflammatory process, and it mainly presents with lipid accumulation, foam cell proliferation, inflammatory response, atherosclerotic plaque formation and rupture, thrombosis, and vascular calcification. Therefore, there is a great need for reliable therapeutic drugs or remedies to cure or alleviate atherosclerosis and reduce the societal burden. Ginsenosides are natural steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins obtained mainly from the plant ginseng. Several recent studies have reported that ginsenosides have a variety of pharmacological activities against several diseases including inflammation, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on describing the different pharmacological functions and underlying mechanisms of various active ginsenosides (Rb1,-Rd, -F, -Rg1, -Rg2, and -Rg3, and compound K) for atherosclerosis, which could provide useful insights for developing novel and effective anti-cardiovascular drugs.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.64-69
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• 2022

When blood vessels are damaged, a rapid hemostatic response should occur in order to lower blood loss and keep normal circulation, and platelet activation and aggregation are essential. Nevertheless, abnormal or excessive platelet aggregation can be a reason of cardiovascular diseases including thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and stroke. Therefore, the screening for a substance which can regulate platelet activation and suppress aggregation reaction is very important for treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Artemether is a methyl ether derivative of artemisinin, which is isolated from the antimalarial plant Artemisia annua, but research on platelet aggregation or its mechanisms is still insufficient. This study identified the effects of artemether on U46619-induced human platelet aggregation and their granule secretion (ATP and serotonin release). In addition, the effects of artemether on the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt or MAPK, which are related to signal transduction in platelet aggregation, were studied. As the results, artemether significantly lowered PI3K/Akt and MAPK phosphorylation, which inhibited platelet aggregation through granule secretion (ATP and serotonin release) dose-dependently. Therefore, we suggest that artemether is an antiplatelet substance that regulates PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathway and is of value as a therapeutic and preventive agent for platelet-derived cardiovascular diseases.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.368-376
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• 2023

Objectives: Recent research indicates a potential association between workplace violence and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the working-age population. However, the relevant evidence in the United States is sparse. Thus, this study was conducted to explore the possible relationship between workplace violence and CVD among United States workers. Methods: We utilized cross-sectional data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey, which included a representative sample of 18 380 workers, to investigate the associations between workplace violence and the prevalence of CVD using logistic regression. Workplace violence was determined based on self-reported threats, bullying, or harassment at work over the past 12 months, supplemented with additional information regarding frequency. CVD included all forms of heart disease and stroke. Results: A total of 1334 workers reported experiences of workplace violence, and 1336 workers were diagnosed with CVD. After adjustment for covariates, participants who reported any instance of workplace violence had significantly higher odds of having CVD (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35 to 2.30) than those who reported no such violence. Furthermore, the highest odds of CVD (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.63) were observed among those frequently exposed to workplace violence. Even occasional exposure to workplace violence was associated with 74% excess odds of CVD. Conclusions: Our study indicates an association between workplace violence and CVD in United States workers, exhibiting a dose-response pattern.

• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.17-26
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• 2017

Excessive use of the internet and smart phones have become a social issue. The level of engagement has both positive and negative effects such as good performance or indulgence phenomenon, respectively. This study was to develop an algorithm to determine the engagement state based on cardiovascular response. The participants were asked to play a pattern matching game and the experimental design was divided into cooperation and competition task to provide the level of engagement. The correlation between heart rate and amplitude was analyzed according to each task. The regression equation and accuracy were verified by polynomial regression analysis. The results showed that heart rate and amplitude were positively correlated when the task was a game, and negatively correlated when there was a reference task. The accuracy of classifying between game and reference task was 89%. The accuracy between tasks was confirmed to be 76.5%. This study is expected to be used to quantitatively evaluate the level of engagement in real time.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1098-1106
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• 1991

Atelectasis may be defined as collapse of the lung due to absence of air within the alveoli. It may involve anatomic segments, lobes, or whole lungs but also may be a diffuse miliary process, as in the adult respiratory distress syndrome. The key to treatment are the anticipation and prevention of atelectasis in various clinical situations, the recognition and treatment of underlying disease, and the prompt initiation of vigorous treatment once atelectasis is found. Repeated assessment by physical examination is necessary to determine the presence of atelectasis and its response to treatment. During the period of January, 1981 to October, 1990, 100 patients with atelectasis were treated in the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital. There were 70 males and 30 females ranging from 3 days to 79 years of age. The occurrence ratio of right to left side was 2.1 : 1. The underlying pathologic lesions of atelectasis were pneumonia with effusion(28), lung ca.(24), pulmonary tuberculosis(24), and chronic empyema(9), The treatment procedure for atelectasis were closed thoracostomy in 26 cases, ressection in 21 cases, therapeutic bronchoscopy in 14 cases and etc.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.355-358
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• 1977

The period from .1959 to 1976, authors experienced 13 cases of thymoma at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in National Medical Center. Ten patients were male, and 3 patients were female.Main complaints were cough 76.9%, dyspnea, 69.2%, chest pain 61.6%, myasthenia gravis 23.1 % and S.V.S 23.1%. All of them located anterior mediastinum. 7 cases were benign and 6 cases were malignant. Lymphocytic type was 5 cases, epithelial type 3 case,spindle cell type 1 case, mixed type 2 cases, cystic type 1 case and seminomatous type 1 case. All cases were surgically approached but in malignant cases, only 1 case was palliatively removed and followed radiation therapy. 4 cases were made only biopsy, among them, obstained good response with radiation therapy in seminomatous type case. In benign cases, excellent result was obtained but 2 cases which were combined myasthenia gravis were relapsed the symptoms.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.128-131
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• 2017

Mid-ventricular obstruction (MVO) rarely occurs in patients without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Increased cardiac contractility may play an important role in causing MVO. We experienced a case of severe chest pain and MVO in a 50-year-old female patient. She had hypertension, diabetes, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Her blood pressure was very high (222/122 mmHg) with severe fluctuation. The transthoracic echocardiography revealed MVO accompanied by hyper-dynamic left ventricular systolic function. We regarded her chest pain and MVO as secondary findings related to other diseases. Coronary angiography and several tests for uncontrolled hypertension were performed, and those evaluations revealed that she had coronary artery disease and hyperthyroidism. We considered that the increase in the myocardial oxygen demand in response to the increase in cardiac contractility and workload associated with hyperthyroidism aggravated her symptoms and MVO. She was treated with methimazole and beta blockers and her symptoms dramatically improved.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Atherosclerosis is a pathologic process occurring within the artery, in which many cell types, including T cell, macrophages, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells, interact, and cause chronic inflammation, in response to various inner- or outer-cellular stimuli. Atherosclerosis is characterized by a complex interaction of inflammation, lipid deposition, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, endothelial dysfunction, and extracellular matrix remodeling, which will result in the formation of an intimal plaque. Although the regulation and function of vascular smooth muscle cells are important in the progression of atherosclerosis, the roles of smooth muscle cells in regulating vascular inflammation are rarely focused upon, compared to those of endothelial cells or inflammatory cells. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss here how smooth muscle cells contribute or regulate the inflammatory reaction in the progression of atherosclerosis, especially in the context of the activation of various membrane receptors, and how they may regulate vascular inflammation.