• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.92-97
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• 2013

The calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is considered one of the major contributors for vascular disease. Phosphate is known as the inducer for VSMC calcification. In this study, we assessed whether phosphate affected cell viability and fetuin-A, a calcification inhibitor protein, both which are related to VSMC calcification. Also, VSMC viability by zinc level was assessed. The results showed that phosphate increased Ca and P deposition in VSMCs (A7r5 cell line, rat aorta origin). This phosphate-induced Ca and P deposition was consistent with the decreased A7r5 cell viability (P<0.05), which implies phosphate-induced calcification in A7r5 cells might be due to the decreased VSMC cell viability. As phosphate increased, the protein expression of fetuin-A protein was up-regulated. A7r5 cell viability decreased as the addition of cellular zinc level was decreased (P<0.05). The results suggested that zinc deficiency causes the decreased cell viability and it would be the future study to clarify how zinc does act for VSMC cell viability. The results suggest that the decreased VSMC viability by high P or low Zn in VSMCs may be the risk factor for vascular disease.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.363-370
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• 2016

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia is the primary characteristic of diabetes and is associated with many complications. The role of hyperglycemia in the dysfunction of human cardiac progenitor cells that can regenerate damaged cardiac tissue has been investigated, but the exact mechanism underlying this association is not clear. Thus, we examined whether hyperglycemia could regulate mitochondrial dynamics and lead to cardiac progenitor cell dysfunction, and whether blocking glucose uptake could rescue this dysfunction. High glucose in cardiac progenitor cells results in reduced cell viability and decreased expression of cell cycle-related molecules, including CDK2 and cyclin E. A tube formation assay revealed that hyperglycemia led to a significant decrease in the tube-forming ability of cardiac progenitor cells. Fluorescent labeling of cardiac progenitor cell mitochondria revealed that hyperglycemia alters mitochondrial dynamics and increases expression of fission-related proteins, including Fis1 and Drp1. Moreover, we showed that specific blockage of GLUT1 improved cell viability, tube formation, and regulation of mitochondrial dynamics in cardiac progenitor cells. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that high glucose leads to cardiac progenitor cell dysfunction through an increase in mitochondrial fission, and that a GLUT1 blocker can rescue cardiac progenitor cell dysfunction and downregulation of mitochondrial fission. Combined therapy with cardiac progenitor cells and a GLUT1 blocker may provide a novel strategy for cardiac progenitor cell therapy in cardiovascular disease patients with diabetes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.641-647
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• 2016

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by vascular remodeling of pulmonary arteries (PAs) and increased vascular resistance in the lung. Monocrotaline (MCT), a toxic alkaloid, is widely used for developing rat models of PAH caused by injury to pulmonary endothelial cells; however, characteristics of vascular functions in MCT-induced PAH vary and are not fully understood. Here, we investigated hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) responses and effects of various vasoconstrictors with isolated/perfused lungs of MCT-induced PAH (PAH-MCT) rats. Using hematoxylin and eosin staining, we confirmed vascular remodeling (i.e., medial thickening of PA) and right ventricle hypertrophy in PAH-MCT rats. The basal pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and PAP increase by a raised flow rate (40 mL/min) were higher in the PAH-MCT than in the control rats. In addition, both high $K^+$ (40 mM KCl)- and angiotensin II-induced PAP increases were higher in the PAH-MCT than in the control rats. Surprisingly, application of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-$N^G$-Nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME), induced a marked PAP increase in the PAH-MCT rats, suggesting that endothelial functions were recovered in the three-week PAH-MCT rats. In addition, the medial thickening of the PA was similar to that in chronic hypoxia-induced PAH (PAH-CH) rats. However, the HPV response (i.e., PAP increased by acute hypoxia) was not affected in the MCT rats, whereas HPV disappeared in the PAH-CH rats. These results showed that vascular contractility and HPV remain robust in the MCT-induced PAH rat model with vascular remodeling.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.34-40
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• 2023

Smoking is one of the three major risk factors for vascular disease along with hypertension and hyperlipidemia. It is true that smoking has a negative effect on the circulatory system, and the frequency of coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease is significantly increased in smokers. Many epidemiological studies report that smokers have an approximately two-fold increased risk of coronary artery disease compared to non-smokers. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between cerebral blood flow change and depression index after acute smoking. Cerebral blood flow tests were performed before and after smoking in 8 subjects. Changes in blood flow after smoking were correlated with the depression score and negatively correlated with the depression score. In particular, there was a strong correlation with changes in blood flow in anterior cerebral artery. It is well known that changes in blood flow after smoking have a negative effect. In addition, considering the study that smoking aggravates the symptoms of depression, it was found that smoking and depression are factors that negatively affect each other.

• 대한미세수술학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한미세수술학회 1993년도 제13차 학술대회
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• pp.103.1-103.1
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• 1993

• 한국한의학연구원논문집
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.119-134
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• 2010

Objectives & Method：Based on the statistic from January 2008 to December 2008 include 66-year-old 375 people (159 men, 216 women) who got examined in National Health Insurance Corporation, this study set a goal to establish a new health index by analyzing the relation between the cardio-cerebra vascular disease and risk factor such as obesity, smoking, exercise, alcohol consumption, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Results：1) Examine results, health status according to gender；People who are diagnosed as abnormal health status have higher risk for both men and women. As for the detailed diseases, high blood pressure was highest followed by hyperlipidemia and obesity. In case of the women, 96.3% in bone mineral density was highest. 2) Correlation of disease and health risk factors based on gender；Correlation of disease according to gender in the obesity(p<0.001), lipid abnormalities(p<0.001), kidney diseases(p<0.001), chest diseases(p<0.05), osteoporosis(p<0.001) showed a statistically significant difference. The analysis showed that the men have more obesity and lipid abnormalities as well as thoracic disease than the women, but the women have more kidney disease than the men. As for the osteoporosis examine which is conducted only for the women, most of the women were abnormal even though it cannot compare the result according to gender. Obesity(p<0.001), alcohol(p<0.001), smoking(p<0.001) and LDLcholesterol(p<0.001) showed statistical correlation between gender and health risk factor. And only high blood pressure(p<0.001) showed a statistical correlation between gender and risk of cardio-cerebra vascular disease. 3) Risk of cardio-cerebra vascular disease related to health risk factor characteristic；Obesity assessment(p<0.001), alcohol(p<0.05), smoking(p<0.05), blood pressure(p<0.001), glucose(p<0.001) showed correlation between health risk factor and stroke. Drinking(p<0.001), smoking(p<0.05), exercise(p<0.001), blood pressure(p<0.001), LDL cholesterol(p<0.001) showed health risk factor and myocardial infarction. Obesity assessment(p<0.001), smoking(p<0.05), blood pressure(p<0.001), glucose(p<0.001) and showed correlation between health risk factor and diabetes. Obesity assessment(p<0.001), blood pressure(p<0.001) showed correlation between health risk factor and high blood pressure. Conclusion：Therefore, we have to take one step farther after the health examination. In order to prevent and reduce the risk of disease, people have to understand their health status exactly first, and correct their habit with recognizing the amount of risk related to cardio-cerebra vascular disease.

• BMB Reports
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.113-118
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• 2009

Despite the growing body of evidence suggesting a role for MsrA in antioxidant defense, little is currently known regarding the function of MsrB in cellular protection against oxidative stress. In this study, we overexpressed the mammalian MsrB and MsrA genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and assessed their subcellular localization and antioxidant functions. We found that the mitochondrial MsrB3 protein (MsrB3B) was localized to the cytosol, but not to the mitochondria, of the yeast cells. The mitochondrial MsrB2 protein was detected in the mitochondria and, to a lesser extent, the cytosol of the yeast cells. In this study, we report the first evidence that MsrB3 overexpression in yeast cells protected them against $H_2O_2$-mediated cell death. Additionally, MsrB2 overexpression also provided yeast cells with resistance to oxidative stress, as did MsrA overexpression. Our results show that mammalian MsrB and MsrA proteins perform crucial functions in protection against oxidative stress in lower eukaryotic yeast cells.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.9-15
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• 1999

혈액에서의 산소 포화도는 Hb와 HbO$_2$의 광학 스펙트라에서 흡수계수의 차이에 의해서 측정할 수 있다. 본 연구는 하지 조직에서 발생하는 말초혈관계 질환진단을 위하여 파장이 660nm 와 940nm의 LED를 이용하여 산소포화도를 측정하는 장치를 개발하였다. 산소측정장치는 광 탐촉자와 광 신호처리부, LED 구동회로, 컴퓨터와 인터페이스로 구성하고, 데이터의 수집과 분석을 위한 프로그램 을 개발하였다. 구현된 산소측정장치에 대한 임상적인 평가를 위하여 하지조직에서 운동 부하에 따른 실험을 하여 생체조직내 생리적변화에 따른 산소량의 변화를 측정하고, 기기의 성능을 평가하였다. 실험결과 생체조직내의 산소포화도는 광원과 검출기의 간격에 따라 측정이 가능함을 보여 주었다.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.53-60
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of an exercise program on activities of daily living (ADL), balance and cognition in elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Methods: Thirty-two patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment were assigned to one of two groups: an exercise group (n=16) and a control group (n=16). The exercise group carried on regular exercise for 60 minutes a day, 4-5 times per week for 8 weeks. The exercise group participated in an exercise program (treadmill training and physical training). ADL, balance and cognitive function were evaluated before and at the end of the program using the Korean modified Bathel Index (K-MBI), the Functional independence measure (FIM), the Berg balance scale (BBS), the Balance performance monitor (BPM), and the Mini mental state examination (MMSE) in both groups. Results: There were significant exercise-induced improvements in ADL and Balance from pre to post tests; but not in MMSE. Conclusion: Exercise programs can improve ADL and balance in elderly with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.506-514
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• 2023

Dementia has become one of the most important diseases threatening human health. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) have the highest incidence rates among the types of dementia, but until now, therapeutic methods have been limited. Panax ginseng has been used in China for thousands of years to treat dementia, and modern medical studies have found that it contains multiple active components, such as ginsenosides, polysaccharides, amino acids, volatile oils and polyacetylenes, many of which have therapeutic effects in treating AD and VaD. Studies have found that ginsenosides have multitarget therapeutic effects in treating dementia, such as regulation of synaptic plasticity and the cholinergic system, inhibition of Aβ aggravation and tau hyperphosphorylation, anti-neuroinflammation, anti-oxidation effects and anti-apoptosis effects. Other active components of Panax ginseng, such as gintonin, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides and ginseng proteins, also have therapeutic effects on AD and VaD. The effectiveness of ginseng-containing Chinese medicine compounds has also been confirmed by clinical and basic investigations in treating AD and VaD. In this review, we summarized the potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms of Panax ginseng in treating AD and VaD to provide some examples for further studies.