• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.296-303
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• 2017

Background: To achieve a prolonged therapeutic effect in patients with lumbar facet joint syndrome, radiofrequency medial branch neurotomy (RF-MB) is commonly performed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of paravertebral muscle twitching when performing RF-MB in patients with lumbar facet joint syndrome. Methods: We collected and analyzed data from 68 patients with confirmed facet joint syndrome. Sensory stimulation was performed at 50 Hz with a 0.5 V cut-off value. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the twitching of the paravertebral muscle during 2 Hz motor stimulation: 'Complete', when twitching was observed at all needles; 'Partial', when twitching was present at 1 or 2 needles; and 'None', when no twitching was observed. The relationship between the long-term effects of RF-MB and paravertebral muscle twitching was analyzed. Results: The mean effect duration of RF-MB was 4.6, 5.8, and 7.0 months in the None, Partial, and Complete groups, respectively (P = 0.47). Although the mean effect duration of RF-MB did not increase significantly in proportion to the paravertebral muscle twitching, the Complete group had prolonged effect duration (> 6 months) than the None group in subgroup analysis. (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Paravertebral muscle twitching while performing lumbar RF-MB may be a reliable predictor of long-term efficacy when sensory provocation under 0.5 V is achieved. However, further investigation may be necessary for clarifying its clinical significance.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.29-32
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• 2021

Benign submandibular gland tumor is a common disease in the head and neck region and can be completely removed by transcervical approach. Typical submandibular gland resection can lead to neurological complications. The most common complications are damage to the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve and weakening of the lower lip. We report a case of ipsilateral lower lip twitching occurring 3 months after surgery. There was no difficulty during the operation, and there were no neurologic complications immediate after surgery. However, in the present case, the patient experienced lower lip twitching paradoxically after surgery which has not been reported in the literature yet. Therefore, we reported this case with a review of relevant literature.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.586-594
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• 2017

Mitochondrial activity affects skeletal muscle energy metabolism and phenotype. To address whether mitochondrial activity can modulate muscle phenotype in vitro, protein expression of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) in C2C12 muscle cell lines was investigated after treated with antimycin A, an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. Fully differentiated C2C12 myotubes were administrated with different concentration of antimycin A including 0, 100, 200, 500, 700, and 1000 ng/mL. After 72 h treatment, myosin heavy chain isoform expression and related enzyme activity (lactate dehydrogenase; LDH and creatine kinase) were analyzed. Administration of antimycin A changed expression of MyHC in C2C12 myotubes showing a shift from slow to fast twitching muscle type. Protein expression of MyHC type 2b (fast twitching muscle type) was decreased (P < 0.05) by antimycin A treatment (500, 700, and 1000 ng/mL) when compared with control group. Administration of antimycin A (1000 ng/mL), however, decreased (P < 0.05) MyHC type I (slow twitching muscle type). Interestingly, LDH activity was increased (P < 0.05) by antimycin A treatment. Results from our current study proposed a possibility that skeletal muscle phenotype, including MyHC and LDH activity, can be shifted from slow to fast twitching type by inhibiting the mitochondrial activity in C2C12 myotubes.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.1032-1038
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• 2005

Using the 2-channel DROS SQUID (Korea Research Institute of Standards of Science, 1999), the present study was carried out to record changes elicited in the auditory cortex by acupuncture stimulus (right GB43, Xiaxi). Needle-retention and manual needle-twitching stimulation of GB43 and SP1 were done for acquiring the brain activities changed by acupuncture. Acupoint GB43 is known to be effective for the treatment of ear-related disease, such as deafness and tinnitus, and to be suspected to be related to the auditory cortex. Auditory evoked magnetic fields were recorded from the left hemisphere of five or four subjects, in response to contralateral ear stimulation by irregularly spaced 170msec long 1kHz tone busts (Korea Research Institute of Standards of Science). The result as follows The latency and amplitude of SQUID MEG responses at the human auditory cortex changed by needle-retention condition on GB43 were 7.2msec and 1.617, respectively, which were slower and larger than those of no-acupuncture condition. The amplitude of SQUID MEG responses at the human auditory cortex changed by needle-twitching condition on GB43 was 13.517, which was larger than that of no-acupuncture condition. The change in SP1 following GB43 needle-twitching condition were not observed in latency. The amplitude changed by needle-twitching condition on SP1 was 12.2fT, which was not significant. These results suggested that auditory cortex can be affected by acupuncture stimulus, though not specific or significant because of small number of subjects.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.199-205
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• 2002

활주운동은 편모의 작용없이 고체의 표면을 미끄러지듯이 이동하는 박테리아의 운동방식으로 분류학상 다양한 종의 박테리아에서 발견된다. 지금까지 밝혀진 바에 의하면 활주 운동은 type IV pili(Tfp)를 필요로 하는 경우와 이를 필요로 하지 않는 두 가지로 크게 구분될 수 있는데, Tfp를 필요로 하는 경우에는 T룰의 확장과 수축에 의해 이루어지는 twitching motility와 운동기작이 흡사할 것으로 추정된다 Tfp를 필요로 하지 않는 활주운동에 대해서는 여러 다양한 모델이 제시되었는데, 이중 한 모델은 활주박테리아가 점액을 분출함으로서 추진력을 얻어 앞으로 진행한다는 설명이며, 다른 모델들은 외벽에 세포 전체를 감싸는 운동기구가 존재한다는 것이다. 이와 같이 활주운동은 일반적으로 잘 알려진 편모에 의한 운동과는 전혀 다른 운동방식에 의해 이루어지는데, 그 작용 기작이 매우 흥미로운 반면에 많은 부분들이 풀어야 될 숙제로 남아있어 앞으로의 연구결과들이 기대된다.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.240-247
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• 2010

그람음성 간균인 녹농균(Pseudomonas aeruginosa)은 비뇨기, 결막(conjunctiva), 호흡기(respiratory system), 화상부위 등에 광범위하게 감염하며, 병원성의 발현에 세균의 세포밀도 인식기전인 쿼럼 센싱이 매우 중요하다고 알려진 기회감염성 병원균이다. 국내의 환자들에게 감염하는 녹농균에서 쿼럼 센싱의 중요성을 알아보기 위해 부산 백병원의 환자들로부터 189종의 녹농균을 분리 동정하였다. 이 임상 균주들에서 쿼럼 센싱 신호 물질의 발현을 리포터 균주를 이용한 고체 배지 확산법으로 조사하였다. 전체 임상 균주의 79.4%가 녹농균 야생형균주와 비슷하게 쿼럼 센싱 조절의 가장 상위 신호인식-조절단백질인 LasR을 충분히 활성화 시키는 수준으로 쿼럼 신호물질을 생성하였다. 반면 4.2% 정도는 신호물질을 합성하지 못하는 녹농균 돌연변이주와 비슷하게 LasR을 활성화 시키지 못하는 수준으로 쿼럼 신호물질을 생성하였다. 한편, 전체의 72.5%가 또 다른 쿼럼 신호인식-조절 단백질인 QscR을 충분히 활성화 시킬 수 있는 야생형 수준으로 신호물질을 생성한 반면, 9%가 QscR을 활성화 시키지 못하는 수준으로 신호물질을 생성하였다. 임상 균주들 중 특히 녹농균 감염이 의심되는 환자들에게서 유래한 74종을 선정하여 병독인자로 중요한 프로테아제 활성을 조사한 결과, 44.6%에서 프로테아제 활성이 낮아져 있었으며, 12.2%에서는 프로테아제 활성이 관찰되지 않았다. 같은 균들을 대상으로 만성감염에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 알려진 생물막 형성 능력을 확인하였을 때, 대부분이 야생형보다 생물막 형성능력이 떨어져 있었다. 또한 이 균주들의 운동성을 살펴본 결과 많은 균주들이 swarming과 twitching 능력이 저해되어 있었으며(전체의 51.4%가 reduced swarming activity, 전체의 41.9%가 reduced twitching activity), 관찰되지 않는 수준의 균주도 상당부분 있었다(전체의 28.4%가 swarming negative, 전체의 28.4%가 twitching negative). 본 연구결과는 쿼럼 센싱을 정상적으로 하는 임상 균주들 중에서도 상당 부분은 프로테아제 생성, 생물막 형성, 운동성 등의 특징들이 저해될 수 있음을 의미하며, 일부 임상 균주들은 그들의 쿼럼 활성과는 상관관계가 없는 독특한 패턴의 프로테아제 생성능과 생물막 형성능 및 운동성을 보여주고 있음을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.171-179
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• 2016

In this study, we compared the virulence-associated factors of Acinetobacter baumannii complex species. Sixty-three isolates of five A. baumannii complex species, including 19 A. baumannii, 15 A. nosocomialis, 13 A. seifertii, 13 A. pittii, and 3 A. calcoaceticus isolates, were included in this study. For all isolates, biofilm formation, A549 cell adherence, resistance to normal human serum, and motility were evaluated. A. baumannii complex isolates showed diversity in biofilm formation, A549 cell adherence, and serum resistance, and no strong positive relationships among these virulence characteristics. However, A. seifertii showed relatively consistent virulence-associated phenotypes. In addition, A. baumannii clone ST110 exhibited consistently high virulence-associated phenotypes. Motility was observed in seven isolates, and all four A. baumannii ST110 isolates showed twitching motility. Although some inconsistencies in virulence-associated phenotypes were seen, high virulence characteristics were observed in A. seifertii, which has been mainly reported in Korea and shows high rates of colistin resistance.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.326-328
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• 2011

Purpose: The anatomical anomaly of the rectus abdominis muscle and it's fascia is very rare. No case of the absence of the linea alba below the umbilicus has yet been reported. During breast reconstruction with pedicled TRAM flap, we experienced one case of absence of linea alba. Methods: The patient was a 38-years old female who underwent immediate breast reconstruction with pedicled TRAM flap after Right modified radical mastectomy in June 2010. While the TRAM flap was being elevated, bilateral twitching of the rectus abdominis muscle occurred when electrocautery was applied, and we found the absence of the linea alba below the umbilicus. Results: When the rectus abdominis muscle was exposed, the linea alba below the umbilicus was not observed, and the bilateral rectus abdominis muscle was indistinguishably fused in a gross observation. In addition, bilateral twitching of rectus abdominis muscle was simultaneously observed as one muscle unit when electrocautery was applied. As with both rectus abdominis muscles was bluntly dissected with scissors, the scanty fatty tissues were observed between the both rectus muscles, and the bilateral rectus abdominis muscle was easily separated. The flap was transposed into the corresponding defect to make breast mound. Midline fascia was fixed to the posterior rectus sheath to reconstruct smilar anatomic linea alba. Abdominal defect was reinforced by suturing between remaining anterior rectus sheath. Conclusion: As the unexpected anatomical anomaly may affect the operation outcome, surgeons should be careful when they unexpectedly encounter the anatomical anomaly during an operation. Here, we report a rare case of absence of the linea alba seen at the time of pedicled TRAM flap elevation for breast reconstruction.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.399-400
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• 2008

Hemifacial spasm induced by intracranial aneurysm is a rare clinical condition. A 45-year-old male patient presented with a 3-year history of progressive involuntary twitching movement on right face. On radiological study, a dilated vascular lesion compressing the brain stem was found at the junction of vertebral artery and posterior inferior cerebellar artery. On operative field, we found the posterior inferior cerebellar artery and the fusiform aneurysm compressing root exit zone of facial nerve. Microvascular decompression was performed and the facial symptom was relieved without complications.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.196-198
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• 2009

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is almost always induced by vascular compression but in some cases the cause of HFS are tumors at cerebellopontine angle (CPA) or vascular malformations. We present a rare case of hemifacial spasm caused by epidermoid tumors and the possible pathogenesis of HFS is discussed. A 36-year-old female patient presented with a 27-month history of progressive involuntary facial twitching and had been treated with acupuncture and herb medication. On imaging study, a mass lesion was seen at right CPA. Microvascular decompression combined with mass removal was undertaken through retrosigmoid approach. The lesion was avascular mass and diagnosed with an epidermoid tumor pathologically. Eventually, we found a offending vessel (AICA : anterior inferior cerebellar artery) compressing facial nerve root exit zone (REZ). In case of HFS caused by tumor compression on the facial nerve REZ, surgeons should try to find an offending vessel under the mass. This case supports the vascular compression theory as a pathogenesis of HFS.