• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.73-84
• /
• 1995

Spasticity has been defined as a motor disorder characterised by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with exaggerated tendon jerks resulting in hyperexcitability of the stretch reflexes as one component of the upper motor neuron syndrome. Weakness and loss of dexterity, however, are considered to be more disabling to the patient than changes in muscle tone. The discussion includes the important role that alterations in the physiology of motor units, notably changes in firing rates and muscle fiber atrophy, play in the manifestation of muscle weakness. This paper considers both the neural and mechanical components of spasticity and discusses, in terms of clinical intervention, the implications arising from recent research. Investigations suggest that the resistance to passive movement in individuals with spasticity is due not only to neural mechanisms but also to changes in mechanical properties of muscle. The emphasis is on training the individual to gain control over the muscles required for different tasks, and on preventing secondary and adaptive soft tissue changes and ineffective adaptive motor behaviours.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.1073-1079
• /
• 2009

The object of this study was to observe the protective effects of Yijin-tang-gamibang (YJGMB), Yijin-tang has been traditionally used as Korean medicine for treating various digestive diseases. The study showed that it is effective on reflux esophagitis induced by pylorus and forestomach ligation in rats. Three different dosages of Yijin-tang-gamibang extracts, 300, 150 and 75 mg/kg, were once orally administered 1 hour before pylorus ligation. 6 groups, each of 8 rats per group were used in the present study. The results were compared with Omeprazole, antioxidant and proton pump inhibitor, 30 mg/kg treated group. Yijin-tang-gamibang extracts 300 mg/kg were showed similar or slightly lower effects as compared with 30 mg/kg of omeprazole in the present study. Detail mechanism studies should be conduced in future with the efficacy tests of individual herbal composition of Yijin-tang-gamibang and the screening of the biological active compounds in herbs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.74-83
• /
• 2014

Mercury exists naturally and as a man-made contaminant. The release of processed mercury can lead to a progressive increase in the amount of atmospheric mercury, which enters the atmospheric-soil-water distribution cycles where it can remain in circulation for years. Mercury poisoning is the result of exposure to mercury or mercury compounds resulting in various toxic effects depend on its chemical form and route of exposure. The major route of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) is largely through eating contaminated fish, seafood, and wildlife which have been exposed to mercury through ingestion of contaminated lower organisms. MeHg toxicity is associated with nervous system damage in adults and impaired neurological development in infants and children. Ingested mercury may undergo bioaccumulation leading to progressive increases in body burdens. This review addresses the systemic pathophysiology of individual organ systems associated with mercury poisoning. Mercury has profound cellular, cardiovascular, hematological, pulmonary, renal, immunological, neurological, endocrine, reproductive, and embryonic toxicological effects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.57-65
• /
• 1985

In the experiment with a basic material for the design of summer wear that comfort can be obtained in temperature, to get individual differences, clothing styles (slacks, skirt), material differences(T/C, cotton), and the contrast between when naked and dressed, when two healthy females were dressed four kinds of summer wear as an object of experiment under the regular warm temperature environmental condition (24, 28, 32, $36^{\circ}C$, $60\pm10\%$ RH), the measurement of physiological, phychological change was taken and the result goes as follow; 1. Mean skin temperature rose by clothing, body weight loss decreased below $32^{\circ}C$, thermal sensation changed toward low temperature by $2\~3^{\circ}C$. 2. Mean skin temperature, body weight loss, the lowest blood pressure above $32^{\circ}C$, under-clothing temperature, and thermal sensation increased when in slacks to be compared with when in skirt. 3. Ambient temperature had a great effect on mean skin temperature, body weight loss, respiration, clothing surface temperature, under-clothing temperature and humidity, thermal sensation, etc. 4. It was admitted that pulse, thermal sensation, comfort show different individuality. 5. It was recognized that the lowest blood pressure, clothing surface temperature, under. clothing humidity differ according to the kinds of clothing. 6. A comfortable ambient temperature in clothing summer wear was about $27\~28^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.161-166
• /
• 2014

Ginseng is widely used for its promising healing and restorative properties as well as for its possible tonic effect in traditional medicine. Nowadays, many studies focus on purified individual ginsenoside, an important constituent in ginseng, and study its specific mechanism of action instead of whole-plant extracts on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Of the various ginsenosides, purified ginsenosides such as Rb1, Rg1, Rg3, Rh1, Re, and Rd are the most frequently studied. Although there are many reports on the molecular mechanisms and medical applications of ginsenosides in the treatment of CVDs, many concerns exist in their application. This review discusses current works on the countless pharmacological functions and the potential benefits of ginseng in the area of CVDs. Results: Both in vitro and in vivo results indicate that ginseng has potentially positive effects on heart disease through its various properties including antioxidation, reduced platelet adhesion, vasomotor regulation, improving lipid profiles, and influencing various ion channels. To date, approximately 40 ginsenosides have been identified, and each has a different mechanism of action owing to the differences in chemical structure. This review aims to present comprehensive information on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of ginseng, especially in the control of hypertension and cardiovascular function. In addition, the review also provides an insight into the opportunities for future research and development on the biological activities of ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.103-117
• /
• 2009

Objectives: There have been no specific as well as evidence-based physical activity guidelines issued on the governmental level. There just have been physical activity recommendations and guidelines released from governmental agencies or organizations as well as individual researchers and these are not consistent, thereby giving the public and even some professionals quite a confusion. As such, this study was aimed to suggest key factors to include when issuing national physical activity recommendations for Koreans. Methods: Since chronological evolution of modern physical activity recommendations reflects key factors to consider when establishing those recommendations and guidelines, that released for several decades was reviewed. Results: The evolution was found to be based on the basis of strong evidence from both epidemiological and exercise physiology studies and the key concepts of such evolution were feasibility, efficacy, and safety. Conclusion: On the basis of three key factors found in the review process, this study concluded that the upcoming national physical activity guidelines should include the following to maximize the outcomes of the efforts which have long been put by the division of physical activity under the 'New Health Plan 2010'. First, guidelines for achieving health benefits (ie, preventing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancers or weight management) as well as improving cardiorespiratory fitness should be included to enhance efficacy. Second, safety measures should be included to enhance safety. Third, various alternative forms of physical activity should be included to enhance feasibility.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.16-26
• /
• 2012

Ginseng is one of the most widely used herbal medicines and is reported to have a wide range of therapeutic and pharmacological applications. Ginseng may also be potentially valuable in treating cardiovascular diseases. Research concerning cardiovascular disease is focusing on purified individual ginsenoside constituents of ginseng to reveal specific mechanisms instead of using whole ginseng extracts. The most commonly studied ginsenosides are $Rb_1$, $Rg_1$, $Rg_3$, $Rh_1$, Re, and Rd. The molecular mechanisms and medical applications of ginsenosides in the treatment of cardiovascular disease have attracted much attention and been the subject of numerous publications. Here, we review the current literature on the myriad pharmacological functions and the potential benefits of ginseng in this area. In vitro investigations using cell cultures and in vivo animal models have indicated ginseng's potential cardiovascular benefits through diverse mechanisms that include antioxidation, modifying vasomotor function, reducing platelet adhesion, influencing ion channels, altering autonomic neurotransmitters release, and improving lipid profiles. Some 40 ginsenosides have been identified. Each may have different effects in pharmacology and mechanisms due to their different chemical structures. This review also summarizes results of relevant clinical trials regarding the cardiovascular effects of ginseng, particularly in the management of hypertension and improving cardiovascular function.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.405-413
• /
• 2022

Hair loss is a common status found among people of all ages. Since the role of hair is much more related to culture and individual identity, hair loss can have a great influence on well-being and quality of life. It is a disorder that is observed in only scalp patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) or alopecia areata caused by stress or immune response abnormalities. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutic medicines such as finasteride, and minoxidil improve hair loss temporarily, but when they stop, they have a limitation in that hair loss occurs again. As an alternative strategy for improving hair growth, many studies reported that there is a relationship between the expression levels of prostaglandins (PGs) and hair growth. Four major PGs such as prostaglandin D2 (PGD2₂), prostaglandin I2 (PGI₂), prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂), and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF_2α) are spatiotemporally expressed in hair follicles and are implicated in hair loss. This review investigated the physiological roles and pharmacological interventions of the PGs in the pathogenesis of hair loss and provided these novel insights for clinical therapeutics for patients suffering from alopecia.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.41-51
• /
• 2020

Objectives: Eight Constitution Medicine (ECM) categorizes individuals into eight constitutions based on physiological differences in organ relations and recommends different diets for different constitutions. This study presents a preliminary analysis of the effect of following constitutional food regimens on quality of life and health outcomes for different constitutions. Methods: This cross-sectional, comparative study used subjects recruited from Essen University Hospital Traditional Chinese Medicine Center in Germany. From a convenience sample of 243 Germans, those in the groups Hepatonia/Cholecystonia (n = 95) and Pulmotonia/Colonotonia (n = 26) were analyzed for health outcomes in relation to their dietary habits of either including or avoiding meat. Health outcomes were measured with SF-36, self-reported survey. Results: The two groups had no significant differences in the health outcomes of SF-36. However, subjects in Hepatonia/Cholecystonia who had followed their dietary habit for more than 20 years had significantly better scores on general health, social functioning, mental health, emotional role functioning, and mental component scores than those in Pulmotonia/Colonotonia, regardless of their meat intake. Conclusions: This study established initial groundwork for considering patients' constitutions when evaluating health outcomes and their relation to diet. Further studies are warranted on the effects of regulating food intake according to individual constitution.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.403-411
• /
• 2024

The global spread of flaviviruses has triggered major outbreaks worldwide, significantly impacting public health, society, and economies. This has intensified research efforts to understand how flaviviruses interact with their hosts and manipulate the immune system, underscoring the need for advanced research tools. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technologies have revolutionized our understanding of flavivirus infections by offering transcriptome analysis to dissect the intricate dynamics of virus-host interactions. Bulk RNA-seq provides a macroscopic overview of gene expression changes in virus-infected cells, offering insights into infection mechanisms and host responses at the molecular level. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides unprecedented resolution by analyzing individual infected cells, revealing remarkable cellular heterogeneity within the host response. A particularly innovative advancement, virus-inclusive single-cell RNA sequencing (viscRNA-seq), addresses the challenges posed by non-polyadenylated flavivirus genomes, unveiling intricate details of virus-host interactions. In this review, we discuss the contributions of bulk RNA-seq, scRNA-seq, and viscRNA-seq to the field, exploring their implications in cell line experiments and studies on patients infected with various flavivirus species. Comprehensive transcriptome analyses from RNA-seq technologies are pivotal in accelerating the development of effective diagnostics and therapeutics, paving the way for innovative treatments and enhancing our preparedness for future outbreaks.