• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.405-416
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• 2008

Background: Spinal cord ischemic injury during thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic surgeries remains a potentially devastating outcome despite using various methods of protection. Neuronal voltage-dependent sodium channel antagonists are known to provide neuroprotection in cerebral ischemic models. This study was designed to compare the neuroprotective effects of phenytoin with those of hypothermia in a rabbit model of spinal cord ischemia. Material and Method: Spinal cord ischemia was induced in New Zealand white rabbits by means of infrarenal aortic cross clamping for 25 minutes. Four groups of 8 animals each were studied. The control group and the hypothermia group received retrograde infusion of saline only ($22^{\circ}C$, 2 mL/min); the normothermic phenytoin group and the hypothermicphenytoin group received retrograde infusion of 100 mg of phenytoin at different rectal temperatures ($39^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$, respectively) during the ischemic period. The neurologic function was assessed at 24 and 72 hours after the operation with using the modified Tarlov criteria. The spinal cords were harvested after the final neurologic examination for histopathological examination to objectively quantify the amount of neuronal damage. Result: No major adverse effects were observed with the retrograde phenytoin infusion during the aortic ischemic period. All the control rabbits became severely paraplegic, Both the phenytoin group and the hypothermia group had a better neurological status than did the control group (p < 0.05). The typical morphological changes that are characteristic of neuronal necrosis in the gray matter of the control animals were demonstrated by means of the histopathological examination, whereas phenytoin or hypothermia prevented or attenuated these necrotic phenomena (p < 0.05). The number of motor neuron cells positive for TUNEL staining was significantly reduced, to a similar extent, in the rabbits treated with phenytoin or hypothermia. Phenytoin and hypothermia had some additive neuroprotective effect, but there was no statistical significance between the two on the neurological and histopathological analysis. Conclusion: The neurological and histopathological analysis consistently demonstrated that both phenytoin and hypothermia may afford significant spinal cord protection to a similar extent during spinal cord ischemia in rabbits, although no significant additive effects were noticed.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.260-268
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• 1995

Ischemia results when the decrease in tissue perfusion exceeds the tissues ability to increase an oxygen extraction from the blood. Brain edema has been defined as an abnormal accumulation of fluid within brain parenchyma associated with a volumetric enlargement of the brain tissue. In most instances, the labelling of edema as vasogenic or cytotoxic is only relative. For cerebral protection, there were many possible techniques which could increase or maintain cerebral perfusion and reduce cerebral metabolic demand for oxygen. This study was carried out the effect of mild brain hypothermia which was induced by infusion with cold saline into the carotid artery, during brief episodes of transient global ischemia on postischemic brain edema in rabbit. Eight rabbits were anesthetized with halothane and mechanically ventilated with oxygen. For isolated cerebral perfusion, polyethylene catheter was inserted left carotid artery for infusion of cold saline, external carotid artery was ligated, vertebral arteries were cautherized, right carotid artery was snared for ischemia and femoral artery and vein were also canulated for monitoring and drug treatment. At 3 hours After transient global ischemia, specific gravity of cerebral cortex and hippocampus was compared with no-perfusion group , perfusion with cold saline group and normal group. There was no significant differences in physiologic variables among the groups before transient global ischemia. But during transient global ischemia, brain temperature of perfusion group was decreased when compared to no perfusion group. Specific gravity of cerebral cortex and hippocampus of no-perfusion group and perfusion group was statistically significant when compared to normal group (p<0.01). The results of this study suggested that mild brain hypothermia with intracarotid cold saline infusion during brief episodes of transient global ischemia had decreased postischemic brain edema in rabbit.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.1274-1278
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• 2003

Syncope in children and adolescents have a common occurrence according for up to 15% before adulthood. Micturition syncope, a kind of situational syncope, can be considered a form of reflex syncope. It can typically occur in healthy young men after rising from bed in the early morning who experience sudden loss of consciousness during or immediately after urination. The mechanism of micturition syncope is not completely understood, but it has been suggested that vasovagal reflex mediated bradycardia and peripheral vasodilation and decreased venous return due to Valsalva effect and standing position lead to the decrease in cerebral blood flow resulting in syncope. The causes of syncope are variable. So complete history taking, physical examination, electrocardiography, exercise stress test, echocardiography, head-up tilt table test, electroencephalography(EEG), brain magnetic resonance image and urodynamic study should be required for the diagnosis of micturition syncope. There were several reports about micturition syncope. However, literature of micturition syncope at the pediatric age has rarely been reported in Korea so far. Therefore, we report a case of a 9-year-old boy with micturition syncope with typical EEG findings of high amplitude delta wave and flattening during syncope.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.248-261
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• 1994

This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical usefulness of magnetic motor evoked potential (MEP) in the diagnosis of stroke and predicting the motor improvement following stroke. The cortical, cervical and lumbar stimulations were performed in the case of 24 healthy controls and 24 ischemic stroke patients. The central motor conduction time (CMCT) was represented by the difference of latency to a target muscle between after transcranial stimulation and after cervical or lumbar stimulation. There was no case showing no response in controls. But in 11 out of 24 ischemic patients, we could not get cortical MEP. Mean CMCT of abductor pollicis brevis muscle was not significantly different in controls and stroke patients in whom MEPs were recorded. There were significant differences between mean CMCT of normal controls and that of stroke patients showing MEPs in AH Muscle. MEP Results from testing the stroke patients were correlated with site of lesion, degree of motor weakness and motor improvement after 1 to 2 months. These results suggest that magnetic MEP is easy and useful in electrophysiological test of central motor pathway and is useful indicator for representing the motor weakness and predicting the motor outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.594-602
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• 2009

Purpose : Transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$ reportedly increases neuronal survival by inhibiting the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in astrocytes and protecting neurons after excitotoxic injury. However, the neuroprotective mechanism of $TGF-{\beta}1$ on hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury in neonatal rats is not clear. The aim of this study was to determine whether $TGF-{\beta}1$ has neuroprotective effects via a NO-mediated mechanism and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor modulation on perinatal HI brain injury. Methods : Cortical cells were cultured using 19-day-pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats treated with $TGF-{\beta}1$ (1, 5, or 10 ng/mL) and incubated in a 1% O2 incubator for hypoxia. Seven-day-old SD rat pups were subjected to left carotid occlusion followed by 2 h of hypoxic exposure (7.5% $O_2$). $TGF-{\beta}1$ (0.5 ng/kg) was administered intracerebrally to the rats 30 min before HI brain injury. The expressions of NOS and NMDA receptors were measured. Results : In the in vitro model, the expressions of endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) increased in the hypoxic group and decreased in the 1 ng/mL $TGF-{\beta}1-treated$ group. In the in vivo model, the expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) decreased in the hypoxia group and increased in the $TGF-{\beta}1$-treated group. The expressions of eNOS and nNOS were reversed compared with the expression of iNOS. The expressions of all NMDA receptor subunits decreased in hypoxia group and increased in the $TGF-{\beta}1$-treated group except NR2C. Conclusion : The administration of $TGF-{\beta}1$ could significantly protect against perinatal HI brain injury via some parts of the NO-mediated or excitotoxic mechanism.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.317-325
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was carried out to elucidate the effects of nitric oxide synthase(NOS) inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) and nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine(L-Arg) on cerebral hemodynamics and energy metabolism during reoxygenation-reperfusion(RR) after hypoxia-ischemia(HI) in newborn piglets. Methods : Twenty-eight newborn piglets were divided into 4 groups; Sham normal control(NC), experimental control(EC), L-NMMA(HI & RR with L-NMMA), and L-Arg(HI & RR with L-Arg) groups. HI was induced by occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries and simultaneously breathing with 8 percent oxygen for 30 mins, and followed RR by release of carotid occlusion and normoxic ventilation for one hour. All groups were monitored with cerebral hemodynamics and cytochrome $aa_3$ (Cyt $aa_3$) using near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS). $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase activity, lipid peroxidation products, and tissue high energy phosphate levels were determined biochemically in the cerebral cortex. Results : In experimental groups, mean arterial blood pressure, $PaO_2$, and pH decreased, and base excess and blood lactate level increased after HI compared to NC group(P<0.05). These variables subsequently returned to baseline after RR except pH. There were no differences among the experimental groups. In NIRS, oxidized hemoglobin($HbO_2$) decreased and hemoglobin(Hb) increased during HI(P<0.05) but returned to base line immediately after RR; 40 min after RR, the $HbO_2$ had decreased significantly compared to NC group(P<0.05). Changes of Cyt $aa_3$ decreased significantly compared to NC after HI and recovered at the end of the experiment. Significantly reduced cerebral cortical cell membrane $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase activity and increased lipid peroxidation products(P<0.05) were not improved with L-NMMA or L-Arg. Conclusion : These findings suggest that NO is not involved in the mechanism of HI and RR brain damage during the early acute phase of RR.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.267-281
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• 1999

1. Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Taeyeumjoweetang on the cerebral neurons injured by glucose oxidase(GO). 2. Methods : I observed cell viability in mouse cerebral neurons exposed to glucose oxidase by NR assay and MTT assay and determined lipid peroxidation in mouse cerebral neurons exposed to glucose oxidase. After administration of Taeyeumjoweetang water extracts, I observed significant changes of cell viability, lipid peroxidation in mouse cerebral neurons exposed to glucose oxidase. 3. Results : GO induced cell degeneration such as the decrease of cell viability was measured by MTT and NR assay in the cultured mouse cerebral cortical neurons. Taeyeumjoweetang was effective in the increase of total protein of neurons inhibited by GO. Taeyeumjoweetang was effective in the decrease of lipid peroxidation of neurons produced by GO.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.6
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• pp.665-672
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• 1997

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of cerebroprotection of platelet-activating factor(PAF) antagonists in transient cerebral ischemia of rat. Right middle cerebral artery(MCA) of Sprague-Dawley rat was occluded for 2 hours using an intraluminal filament technique. After 22 hours of reperfusion, morphometrically detectable infarct was developed in the cortex and striatum identical to the territory of MCA. The infarct size was significantly reduced by PAF antagonists, BN 52021 and CV-6209, as well as an inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine(1 mg/kg, i.p., respectively) administered 5 min after MCA occlusion. PAF antagonists significantly inhibited the enzymatic activities of both myeloperoxidase and iNOS in the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to ischemia, whereas aminoguanidine did not inhibit myeloperoxidase activity but significantly inhibited the iNOS activity. These results suggest that PAF antagonists exert a cerebroprotective effect against ischemic brain damage through inhibition of leukocyte infiltration and iNOS activity in the postischemic brain.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1022-1026
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• 2005

To clarify the toxic effect on cultured neonatal mouse cerebral neurons damaged by ischemia, we examined the cytotoxicity induced by ischemia and the protective effect of antioxidant and AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist against ischemia-induced cytotoxicity on cultured cerebral neurons. For this study, mice were administrated with 20ug/kg cyclothiazide or 50U/kg vitamin E via intraperitoneal injection for 2 hours before ischemic induction. After cell culture for 7 days, cell viability, amount of neurofilament and protein kinase C activity were examined. Ischemia decreased significantly cell viability, amount of neurofilament and the increase of protein kinase C activity in these cultures. In the protective effect, vitamin I showed remarkably the increase of cell viability and amount of neurofilament, and the decrease of protein kinase C activity but, cyclothiazide did not showed any protective effect on ischemia-induced cytotoxicity. From these results, it is suggested that vitamin I is effective in blocking the neurotoxicity induced by ischemia, but cyclothiazide as a AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist is not.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2001

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the effects of Samwha-tang(三化湯) Extracts on reversible forebrain ischemia experimentally induced from the occlusion of middle cerebral artery. The volume of cerebral ischemia, the volume of cerebral edema, and the change of pyramidal neuron of the CA1 area in hippocampus through light microscopy were investigated. we obtained the following results. The volume of the control group, which had ischemic damage was 21%, and the volume of the sample group, which had ischemic damage, was 16%. The ratio of the volume of the right/left hemisphere was 117.2 in the control group, and 108.8 in the sample group. Also, the light microscopy revealed that the pyramidal cells of CA1 area in hippocampus had many damages like changes into discontinuous and unsystematic forms. But, in the sample group, the cells were less damaged compared with the control group.