• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2017

The venome of Phoneutria nigriventer spider has been shown to have side effects including severe painful erections that last for hours. PnTx2-6, a toxin from P. nigriventer spider venom, modulates voltage gated $Na^+$ channels and activation of nitric oxide (NO) production. NO is essential for the regulation of blood flow and pressure. Therefore, PnTx2-6 is expected to be effective not only for erectile dysfunction but also for cardiovascular diseases. A previously has reported cDNA clone for PnTx2-6 toxin, which was expressed in E. coli cytoplasm. We created the same clone and expressed it in a bacterial expression system. PnTx2-6 increased the genes expression of superoxide dismutase 1, glutathione peroxidase 1, and sulfiredoxin 1. We hypothesized that recombinant PnTx2-6 may indirectly regulate blood flow and pressure, resulting in NO production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). These data suggest differential regulation of the vascular ageing process, which may contribute to the anatomic heterogeneity of atherosclerosis. The results of this study may be used for the emergency treatment of sudden cardiovascular disease caused by ageing.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.552-557
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• 2014

The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether type 3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M3R) dysfunction induced vascular hyperpermeability. Transwell system analysis showed that M3R inhibition by selective antagonist 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP) and small interfering RNA both increased endothelial permeability. Using coimmunoprecipitation and Western blot assay, we found that M3R inhibition increased VE-cadherin and ${\beta}$-catenin tyrosine phosphorylation without affecting their expression. Using PTP1B siRNA, we found that PTP1B was required for maintaining VE-cadherin and ${\beta}$-catenin protein dephosphorylation. In addition, 4-DAMP suppressed PTP1B activity by reducing cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), but not protein kinase $C{\alpha}$ ($PKC{\alpha}$). These data indicate that M3R preserves the endothelial barrier function through a mechanism potentially maintaining PTP1B activity, keeping the adherens junction proteins (AJPs) dephosphorylation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2008

This study examined the mechanisms underlying the effects of the vasorelaxation active substance(VAS), dimethyladenosine-5'-L-arabinose, and its partial purification fraction on nitric oxide synthase in improving erectile dysfunction with particular focus on the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathways. Two rat models, 9-month-old SD rats and 11-month-old SD rats, were given VAS(40 mg/kg per day) for 4 days, The aqueous fraction of silworm male pupae extract; semi-purified VAS(100 mg/kg per day) for 10 days, respectively. The NOS activities of the following three enzymes were examined: neuronal NO synthase(nNOS), inducible NOS(iNOS), endothelial NOS(eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor on endothelial cells(VEGF) and anti-inflammation effect of Tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$. The results showed increases in the nitric oxide synthase activities. Western blotting of the tissue homogenate showed an increase in the nNOS level in the brain and tongue, and an increase in the endothelial NO synthase(eNOS) level in penis. However, there was little association with VEGF production in HUVEC endothelial cells and no relationship with TNF-$\alpha$ which showed low levels.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 1989

Forty-five patients, aged 16 months to 15.5 years mean 69 months, with a wide variety of cardiac malformations underwent the modified Fontan operation between Sep. 1986 to Aug. 1988. Nineteen patients had previously undergone palliative operations mainly modified B-T shunt. Twenty patients had a mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 15 mmHg, with nine operative deaths. Thirteen patients had anomalies of systemic venous connection and seven patients had anomalies of pulmonary venous connection. There were eighteen patients under the age 4 years and fifteen of them survived [83.3%]. Eighteen patients had a pulmonary vascular resistance [PVR] more than 2.5U/m, and nine died [50%] whereas two of twenty-three with a PVR less than 2.5U/m died[8.6%]. PVR and anomalies of pulmonary venous connection had a significant influence on survival, but age and anomalies of systemic venous connection did not. Amount of pleural effusion drained postoperatively and PVR had positive linear correlation. Pulmonary artery pressure was not an independent predictor of outcome and pulmonary artery pressure alone should not contraindicate a Fontan procedure if PVR is low. In general, the Fontan operation should be done at a younger age less than 4 year to avoid ventricular dysfunction due to long-standing exposure to hypoxia.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.170-177
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• 2014

Endothelial cell dysfunction is considered to be a major cause of vascular complications in diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of a baechu kimchi added Ecklonia cava extract (BKE) against high glucose induced oxidative damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Treatment with a high concentration of glucose (30 mM) induced cytotoxicity, whereas treatment with BKE protected HUVECs from high glucose induced damage; by restoring cell viability. In addition, BKE reduced lipid peroxidation, intracellular reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide levels in a dose dependent manner. Treatment with high glucose concentrations also induced the overexpression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 and NF-${\kappa}B$ proteins in HUVECs, but BKE treatment significantly reduced the overexpression of these proteins. These findings indicate that BKE may be a valuable treatment against high glucose-induced oxidative stress HUVECs.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.221-224
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• 2015

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a clinical syndrome characterized by unilateral facial nerve dysfunction. The usual cause involves vascular compression of the seventh cranial nerve, but compression by an artery passing through the facial nerve is very unusual. A 20-year-old man presented with left facial spasm that had persisted for 4 years. Compression of the left facial nerve root exit zone by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) was revealed on magnetic resonance angiography. During microvascular decompression surgery, penetration of the distal portion of the facial nerve root exit zone by the AICA was observed. At the penetrating site, the artery was found to have compressed the facial nerve and to be immobilized. The penetrated seventh cranial nerve was longitudinally split about 2 mm. The compressing artery was moved away from the penetrating site and the decompression was secured by inserting Teflon at the operative site. Although the facial spasm disappeared in the immediate postoperative period, the patient continued to show moderate facial weakness. At postoperative 12 months, the facial weakness had improved to a mild degree. Prior to performing microvascular decompression of HFS, surgeons should be aware of a possibility for rare complex anatomy, such as compression by an artery passing through the facial nerve, which cannot be observed by modern imaging techniques.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.308-311
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• 2020

Extracts of ginseng species show antihyperglycemic activity. We evaluated the inhibitory effects of diabetic complications for Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), which is enriched in ginsenosides using Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. The animals were divided into one of four groups (n = 6~9): Long-Evans-Tokushima-Otsuka rats (control rats), OLETF rats, rats given 200 mg/kg KRG, and rats given 400 mg/kg KRG. We examined the protective potential of KRG against type 2 diabetic illnesses. The results exhibited that KRG showed significant antihyperglycemic and antioxidative effects in KRG-treated OLETF rats. And, our results proposed the amelioration of cardiac function through normalized ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and vascular reactivity. Furthermore, histopathological abnormalities in the OLETF rats were prevented by KRG treatment.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.235-241
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the body temperature peripheral circulation with vibration shoes in healthy 10 adults. The magnetic vibration device with non-electric power was mounted in the midsole of the vibration shoes. The experiment was divided into two groups: vibration shoes and no vibration shoes. Subjects were randomly selected and measured body surface temperature by digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI) and non-invasive capillaries change by nailfold microscope (NFM). After walking in a treadmill for 15 minutes at 4.0 km/h speed wearing normal shoes or vibration shoes, DITI and NFM were measured. The walking with vibration shoes showed the body surface temperature shift from the proximal to the distal. In addition, the diameter of the nailfold capillary in the vibration shoes group was thicker and clearer due to the increased blood flow than that of the no vibration shoes group. The vibration shoes are easy to apply to anyone who can walk because it can give vibration stimulation by walking without additional time, cost, and effort in daily life. Further studies are needed to explain the physiological effects of vibration frequency and intensity on the long-term perspective of target subjects resulting from vascular dysfunction.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2019

Hyperlipidemia is defined as conditions of the accumulation of lipids such as free fatty acids (FFA), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol and/or phospholipid in the bloodstream. Hyperlipidemia can cause lipid accumulation in non-adipose tissue, which is lipid-cytotoxic effects in many tissues and mediates cell dysfunction, inflammation or programmed cell death (PCD). TG is considered to be a major cause of atherosclerosis through inflammatory necrosis of vascular endothelial cells. Recently, TG have also been shown to exhibit lipid-cytotoxicity and induce PCD. Therefore, we investigated the effect of TG on the cytotoxic effect of various cell types. When exposed to TG, the cell viability of U937 monocytes and Jurkat T lymphocytes, as well as the cell viability of MCF-7, a non-immune cell, decreased in time- and dose-dependent manner. In U937 cells and Jurkat cells, caspase-9, an intrinsic apoptotic caspase, and caspase-8, an extrinsic apoptotic caspase, were increased by exposure to TG. However, in TG-treated MCF-7 cells, caspase-8 activity increased only without caspase-9 activity. In addition, the reduction of cell viability by TG was recovered when all three cell lines were treated with pan-caspase inhibitor. These results suggest that activation of apoptotic caspases by TG causes lipotoxic effect and decreases cell viability.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.196-207
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• 2021

Over the last few decades, the rates of pediatric obesity have more than doubled regardless of sociodemographic categorization, and despite these rates plateauing in recent years there continues to be an increase in the severity of obesity in children and adolescents. This review will discuss the pediatric obesity mediated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as attenuated levels of satiety and energy metabolism hormones, insulin resistance, vascular endothelial dysfunction, and arterial stiffness. Additionally, early intervention to combat pediatric obesity is critical as obesity has been suggested to track into adulthood, and these obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk of early mortality. Current suggested strategies to combat pediatric obesity are modifying diet, limiting sedentary behavior, and increasing physical activity. The effects of exercise intervention on metabolic hormones such as leptin and adiponectin, insulin sensitivity/resistance, and body fat in obese children and adolescents will be discussed along with the exercise modality, intensity, and duration. Specifically, this review will focus on the differential effects of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and combined exercise on the cardiovascular risks in pediatric obesity. This review outlines the evidence that exercise intervention is a beneficial therapeutic strategy to reduce the risk factors for CVD and the ideal exercise prescription to combat pediatric obesity should contain both muscle strengthening and aerobic components with an emphasis on fat mass reduction and long-term adherence.